The Lost Luggage Love Catalyst
by bigbangenthusiast
Summary: Sheldon and Amy meet by chance in 2016 when Amy mistakenly takes Sheldon's identical suitcase at LAX.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I received a review today (July 5, 2016) asking how old the characters are in this story. I originally began posting this story chapter by chapter on tumblr. There I had noted that this story is set in present day; to be more precise February 2016. I failed to mention that when I began posting here and apologize for the confusion.**

 **Please note, the only edit I have made to this chapter is the author's note.**

Three hours after her flight was scheduled to land, Amy Farrah Fowler finally touched down at LAX. Her flight had been delayed due to a snowstorm. She supposed she shouldn't have been surprised, given that she was flying out of Minneapolis in February. Sighing with relief and exhaustion, she made her way to the luggage carousels.

Amy found a place to stand near the luggage chute, hoping to be amongst the first to retrieve their bags. She tapped her foot in frustration as the minutes ticked by.

Fifteen minutes later, suitcases and bags of all sizes and colors began their descent onto the conveyer. Amy scanned each one. Wrong size, wrong color, wrong style. At long last, she spotted a black hard-sided suitcase with a blue handle and plucked it off the conveyer. She hoped traffic would be a breeze tonight as she wasn't sure how much longer she could keep her eyes open. She couldn't wait to get home to her apartment in Glendale.

Meanwhile, Sheldon Cooper emerged from the first restroom he could find upon exiting his plane. He spent the second half of the flight wishing he had declined the beverage service as he was reluctant to break his rule of never voiding on a moving vehicle.

He strolled over to the carousels and waited impatiently for his large black hard-sided suitcase with a blue handle to appear. After 25 minutes, only two bags remained and no new ones dropped down. One resembled his bag in every way but one - it didn't have the dent in the bottom left corner that he acquired on the way to Galveston when the airline tossed it haphazardly onto a cart. He looked at the nametag just to be sure then double checked the baggage claim screen to verify he had the correct carousel.

Sheldon marched over to the baggage service counter. "Excuse me, I arrived from flight 1034 from Galveston, Texas, nearly a hour ago. I waited at carousel 3 for 32 minutes and 18 seconds. It appears that the chute has ceased to drop additional baggage. Am I to assume the airline lost my luggage?"

"I'm so sorry, Sir. One moment while I check the carousel status. Occasionally we need to shut it down temporarily if an item gets stuck," the young woman, whose name badge indicated her name was Brandy, stated matter-of-factly. Sheldon watched as her fingers sporting long red nails efficiently clicked away at the keyboard.

"The computer tells me that luggage from your flight, as well as luggage from flight 973 out of Minneapolis, was taken to carousel 3. All luggage from both flights has been deposited."

Sheldon blew out his breath in frustration. Brandy handed him a missing luggage form. Defeated, he completed it and handed it back to her. She scanned the form to ensure he completed each field. "I'm very sorry Dr. Cooper. We'll do everything we can to help track down your luggage."

Before he could say anything further, his phone rang. Great, it was Leonard. Sheldon wasn't a fan of tardiness and was always quick to berate anyone who kept him waiting, and now he was the one doing it.

"Hey, Buddy. Are you okay? Penny and I checked to see if your flight got in okay. Looks like it arrived on time."

"No Leonard, I am not okay. The airline lost my luggage." Leonard repeated Sheldon's words to Penny who snatched the phone from his hand.

"Awwww… Sweetie, I'm sorry your luggage is missing, but it's getting late. We're parked just outside the baggage claim doors."

Feeling resigned, Sheldon stepped out into the cool air carrying only his messenger bag. All the way home, Leonard and Penny had to endure Sheldon's non-stop complaints. Penny tried changing the subject by asking him about his trip.

"Everyone's fine. I had an okay time. Of course Meemaw made cookies for me; I'm her little moonpie," he answered before getting back to his grumblings regarding his missing suitcase. And he continued as they climbed the stairs to apartment 4A. Leonard unlocked the door and ushered them in. Sheldon rushed over to his spot on the couch and sat back, closing his eyes. "Hello old friend. Oh how I've missed you."

Leonard rolled his eyes. Sheldon had stronger feelings for his spot than he did for any human being, including his best friends and family. "Goodnight Sheldon."

"While I don't consider this a 'good night,' I suppose I should head to bed too and put this day behind me."

Amy arrived home after midnight. She tossed her purse on the couch and wheeled the suitcase next to her desk. She didn't even have the energy to unpack. Tomorrow was Sunday, so she'd have plenty of time for that. She quickly brushed her teeth, changed into one of her long white flannel nightgowns, pulled back the covers, and flopped down on her bed. She fell asleep within moments of her head connecting with her pillow.

Amy awoke at 8 o' clock the next morning feeling refreshed. She looked forward to a day of the mundane after spending the last five days at a neurology conference at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where she had been not only an attendee but also a presenter.

After a quick breakfast of green tea and oatmeal, she changed into a beige skirt with a purple and black striped cardigan.

Her first task to tackle was unpacking. She wheeled the bag into her bedroom and hoisted it onto the bed. Upon unzipping it, she noted the clothing was strewn throughout. Just her luck. Airline security randomly searched her bag. She found it mildly unsettling that someone had rifled through her unmentionables. Sighing, she pulled the first item out.

"This isn't mine," she muttered as she eyed a men's sized black t-shirt emblazoned with a melting Rubik's cube. She pulled out the next article of clothing - another men's t-shirt, this one red with a lightning bolt across the front. One by one she pulled out each item including a Superman t-shirt, three solid-colored long-sleeved shirts, a pair of brown pants… she gulped as her fingers brushed the next item - men's Batman underwear.

She continued unloading the suitcase, expecting to find something familiar.

Amy stared blankly at the clothes lined up on her bed. Did security dump out each bag and toss in what they thought belonged in each one? Unless… She read the nametag attached to the handle 'Dr. Sheldon Cooper'.

"Oh crap."

Luckily a phone number and address were listed. Amy briefly admired the neat penmanship before picking up her cell to dial Dr. Cooper's number. The line was busy, so she waited 10 minutes then tried again. Still busy. After two more tries, she decided to just drive over to the doctor's home.


	2. Chapter 2

Amy knocked on the door of apartment 4A at 2311 North Los Robles Avenue in Pasadena. A pretty blonde lady wearing a pink robe over pajamas answered the door. "May I help you?" she asked brightly over the angry voice of a man arguing over the phone.

"Don't you dare put me on hold again! I need an answer now. What did your company do to my luggage?"

"Don't mind him," the blonde said, stepping out into the hall and partially closing the door to help muffle the sound. "Can I help you?" she tried again.

"I believe he's looking for this," Amy tilted her head in the man's direction then motioned to the suitcase.

"Oh thank God. He's been whining about it ever since the drive home from the airport last night." She stuck her head in the door. "Sweetie, there's someone here with…"

"Not now, Penny," the man yelled as he waved her away and turned his back on her. Penny shrugged then invited their guest in, gesturing towards the couch's middle seat while taking the seat nearest the door.

"I'm sorry I'm the cause for your husband's anger." Amy said.

"You know Leonard?"

"Who's Leonard?"

"My husband."

"I thought his name was Sheldon. At least that's the name on the luggage tag." Amy looked from Sheldon to the tag and back again.

"Wait, you think Sheldon and I are married?" Penny laughed. "The only relationship Sheldon's in is with his spot on the couch," she said pointing to the empty cushion.

"I don't understand. You appear to cohabitate, and you referred to him as Sweetie."

"Leonard and I are Sheldon's roommates, and I call everyone Sweetie."

Just then another shorter man with glasses stepped into the living room. "Good morning pretty lady. Oh, I didn't realize we had company."

"This is Leonard. Leonard this is… Sorry I didn't get your name."

"I'm Amy, Amy Farrah Fowler."

"Hi Amy. Penny, I can take Sheldon to the train store if you and Amy want some girl time." Leonard suggested as he pulled a bottle of water from the fridge and took a swig.

"That's not necessary, Leonard. Penny and I just met. Also, I'm not sure what girl time entails. Besides, I'm here for Dr. Sheldon Cooper."

Leonard choked on a mouthful of water, "I'm sorry, what?"

"I picked up his suitcase by accident last night and came over to return it."

Leonard glanced over to Sheldon whose back was still turned to the group. He tentatively approached him. "Hey Buddy."

Sheldon covered the mouthpiece. "Leonard, can't you see I'm on the phone? These muggles still haven't located my luggage."

"Sheldon, your luggage is here."

"Don't be absurd, Leonard. You know very well I came home with nothing more than my messenger bag and the clothes on my back."

"Sheldon, a young lady came by to return your bag. She took it by accident."

Amy took a few tentative steps toward the angry man. "Dr. Sheldon Cooper, I'm Amy Farrah Fowler. I'm so sorry. I…"

Sheldon finally looked up and glanced at the unknown woman then to his suitcase and hung up the phone. He stood to his full height of 6 foot 2 and glared down at her 5 foot 4 frame. "Ms. Fowler, what were you thinking taking a bag without checking the nametag?"

Amy's emerald eyes steadily gazed up into his piercing blue ones. "Dr. Cooper, I pride myself on attention to detail. However, yesterday was very taxing on me. I was exhausted after a long day spent in airports, preceded by a five-day conference. I saw your suitcase thinking it was mine, as they are identical, and I wasn't in the right frame of mind to even think it belonged to anyone else. And it's DOCTOR Fowler actually."

Doctor? Sheldon scrutinized the woman standing before him, taking in her sensible orthopedic shoes, mid-length skirt, and button down shirt peeking out of a cardigan then up to her long, straight chocolate brown hair that fell just past her shoulders. She certainly looked respectable.

"My apologies Dr. Fowler. While I appreciate your coming down here to return my bag, I cannot excuse your actions. I wasted precious time on hold with the airline while I could have been solving the mysteries of dark matter. I'm a world renowned physicist."

"Again, I'm sorry. I will leave you to your problem solving. Good day, Dr. Cooper."

"Hang on."

"Yes?" Amy asked hopefully.

"How do I know you didn't pocket any of my belongings?"

"Excuse me?! I have been accused of many things but never stealing."

"Well just to be sure, I will go through my bag right now. Have a seat." Amy did as she was told.

Leonard spoke up, "Come on, Penny. Let's give them some privacy. We can go across the hall."

"And miss this? Not a chance."

"I'll give you a back rub."

"Fine," Penny consented. "It was nice to meet you Dr. Fowler."

"Please, call me Amy."

"Bye Amy. It was really nice of you to deliver Sheldon's suitcase, wasn't it Sheldon?"

Sheldon gave Penny a withering look.

Once they were out of earshot, Leonard said, "Well, she seemed nice. I kind of feel bad for leaving her alone with Sheldon."

"I think she can hold her own with him. Did you see how she stared back at him without flinching?"

Sheldon approached his suitcase, setting it down flat on the spot Penny vacated on the couch and carefully unzipped it. He peered in and found everything neatly folded; however, they were not folded correctly, according to his standards, and the items were not arranged where he had placed them.

After accounting for each article of clothing and toiletry product, he turned to face the stranger in his home. "You went through my whole suitcase? I could understand if you looked at one item and realized you had the wrong one, but to go through everything? Are you some kind of spy?"

"Dr. Cooper, how dare you accuse me when you don't have all the facts. Being a scientist, I should think you would look at all the possibilities.

"If you must know, your clothes were strewn throughout, probably due to a random security check. I initially thought they placed a few wrong items in my bag after the search. It wasn't until I had emptied the entire contents and saw your nametag that I realized my error. Rather than throw it all back, I took the time to replace it all with care."

"I do admire orderliness. Oh dear Lord, you touched my underwear!"

Amy blushed. "Dr. Cooper, what can I do to make it up to you?"

"Hmmm… Well, I was going to ask Leonard to me to the train store, but I suppose you could take me."

"Sure, I can do that."

"Don't think you're getting off that easy. I have a dentist appointment tomorrow. I'll need a ride."

"Fine, but can't you do these things yourself?"

"Oh, I don't ; I'm too evolved to be bothered with such mundane activities," he explained.

Amy didn't know how to respond. Sheldon shrugged into his jacket, slung his messenger bag over his shoulder, and picked up his keys. Amy took that as her cue to leave.

"Thank you Dr. Cooper for your understanding. Again, I apologize for the inconvenience. I will drive you to the dentist and train store tomorrow. What time would you like me to pick you up?"

"You may pick me up at Caltech in front of the physics department tomorrow promptly at 3:00 for my appointment. We're going to the train store now."

"Now?" Amy asked incredulously. "Dr. Cooper, I was out of town for a week. I have things I need to catch up on, like getting my luggage back for starters."

"But your mistake cost me hours of sleep and precious time on the phone, preventing me from using my mind for the greater good of science. You owe me."

Amy sighed. "You win, Dr. Cooper. I accept my punishment. I'll take you to the train store, but I'm going to the airport to get my suitcase after that."


	3. Chapter 3

Amy pulled away from the curb as her passenger gripped the door handle tightly and gritted his teeth. She obediently stopped at each red light, looked both ways before crossing intersections, and stayed under the speed limit. Ten minutes into their drive, Sheldon visibly relaxed.

"I must say, Dr. Fowler, your driving skills are impeccable."

"Thank you, Dr. Cooper."

"I never feel completely safe driving with Leonard, but he's a pro compared to Penny. That woman must have found her license in a Cracker Jack box. She doesn't check her mirrors or slow down for speed bumps, and she drives with flip flops. It's a wonder she hasn't become another flip flop fatality. As if that wasn't bad enough, when I met her, her check engine light was on, and she refused to have it checked."

Amy tsked and shook her head in wonder. How could anyone be so careless? They drove in silence for a couple of minutes.

"I also commend you on your lack of distractions. Leonard insists on playing the radio and, get this, singing along with it!"

"The nerve!" Amy sputtered.

She gently glided her car into the last remaining parking space in front of the train store. Sheldon hopped out and rushed over to the door. He turned around to find Amy still sitting in the car.

"Dr. Fowler, aren't you coming in?"

"Thanks, but I'll just wait here."

"Suit yourself. The new HO gauge is in stock, so I might be awhile testing it out and discussing it with other model train aficionados."

Sheldon went in as Amy leaned back and closed her eyes. A half hour later, Sheldon hadn't returned. Maybe she better check on him.

Amy entered the store not knowing what to expect, having never been in a store such as this. Model train cars in differing scales, toy tracks, miniature fake trees, and various accessories and tools adorned the shelves. In the far corner of the room stood a display complete with tracks and mini trains chugging along. Sheldon wore a conductor's hat and held a remote control, guiding the tiniest train she had ever seen into a tunnel.

Amy approached the train-loving physicist. "Dr. Cooper, I was getting worried."

"Why?"

"I waited in the car for half a hour."

"That's all? Leonard let's me spend as much time as I need. He usually gets bored and walks over to get lunch nearby, but he never worries."

"I'm sorry, Dr. Cooper. I was unaware of your shopping habits. Thirty minutes felt like a long time to me. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I'm perfectly fine. In fact, I'm more than fine. I'm in my element here. I could spend all day looking at model trains."

I've never been in a train store before."

"Well little lady, you're looking at the biggest train expert in Pasadena. Ask me anything."

"Um, okay." Amy's eyes scanned the shelves until they fell upon a row of Dremel tools. "What do these have to do with model trains?"

"They're very handy for cutting and buffing the tracks."

She smiled and nodded when he enthusiastically described the differences between O and HO gauge. She'd never met anyone this excited about trains, but to be fair, she didn't get out much. Her social life was practically non-existent.

Two hours and $120 later, they walked back to the car. Sheldon placed his brand new HO gauge train in the trunk.

"I'm kind of thirsty. Would you like something to drink?" Amy offered.

"I do feel rather parched. Would you like to go to Kaldi? It's a coffee/tea shop next to the library, so the clientele is quiet and respectable."

"That sounds perfect."


	4. Chapter 4

Amy had never been in Kaldi. She eyed the décor appreciatively before Sheldon interrupted her thoughts. "May I buy you a beverage?"

"Tepid water, please."

They sat at a table for two near the windows, Sheldon sipping chamomile tea and Amy her water, each lost in their own thoughts.

Amy was the first to break the silence. "I'm curious. How did you become interested in trains?"

"Excellent question. When I was a child, my parents fought a lot. My brother and sister excluded me from their activities because I was different, and my classmates ridiculed me because they were intimidated by my intellect. Trains represented order. I could line them up, categorize them, control them. I guess you could say that they gave me a sense of calm in a world that didn't."

"I can relate. From an early age, I knew I was different. While the neighborhood children played tag, I played the harp. When they read Dick and Jane, I read Chaucer. They teased me to no end. As if that wasn't bad enough, my own mother took out her frustrations on me because she didn't understand me. I immersed myself in imaginary worlds to escape reality."

"What do you mean by your mother taking out her frustrations on you? Did she abuse you?"

"Not physically, but she did lock me in the sin closet when she didn't approve of something I said or did."

Sheldon felt a wave of sympathy for the woman sitting across from him, something he rarely felt for anyone. She seemed so kind and undeserving of such behavior. He reached over and gently squeezed her hand then rubbed his thumb soothingly across her knuckles.

Amy looked down at their hands. She had never experienced a man touching her so intimately. She looked back up and their gazes locked. Sheldon slowly moved his hand away to rest in his lap.

"I'm not sure what came over me. I'm sorry," he apologized.

"Don't be," she whispered.

After an awkward silence, Amy once again was the first to speak. "When I was 14, I severed the webbing between my toes using the nitrous oxide from whipped cream cans for anesthesia."

"Fascinating!" He exclaimed.

"Up to that point, I always wore closed-toed shoes and never went barefoot in public. However, my school mandated that we all take swim lessons that year. I didn't need another reason for my classmates to tease me."

Not to be outdone, Sheldon recounted a story of his own. "When I was 13, I built a nuclear reactor in our shed. I went online to order uranium, but my plans were derailed by the government. They told me it was illegal to store uranium in a shed. The neighbors found out, and gossip spread all over Galveston that I was trying to blow up the town.

"My mother got many looks, and people would stop talking when she approached, but she did catch the word ' crazy' a couple of times. I think she began to believe it because she took me to see a specialist for psychiatric testing. The tests proved I wasn't crazy, just gifted. I have an IQ of 187."

They continued sharing stories from their childhoods then switched the topic to work. He explained his reasons for switching from string theory to dark matter while Amy listened attentively, occasionally asking a question.

Amy mentioned she was a neurobiologist, which caused Sheldon to look at her in distaste. He admitted he could never be a biologist because it meant working with icky, squishy things. When Amy informed him of the research she was currently working on at Caltech, which involved addiction studies in Capuchin monkeys, his interest in her field of study increased.

She told him of her presentation at the conference. "I sent in my manuscript and poster, and they contacted me a week later. I presented in front of an audience of about 300 neurologists and scientists from around the country. A couple of them even came up to talk to me during the break. Mayo's working on some innovative projects. I would love to be a part of it."

"I'm impressed that your contributions to science are reaching beyond our fine state. Mayo Clinic is a prestigious institute. You should be proud."

Sheldon couldn't believe he was getting on so well with this woman he had just met. He felt like he could tell her anything and not worry about being mocked. Leonard was his best friend, but even he rolled his eyes and made snarky comments whenever he tried to have a conversation with him. Not only that but her intellect was at his level, with an IQ of 185. While she wasn't an expert in physics by any means, she understood enough to follow the conversation. What surprised him even more was that he, the world's biggest germophobe, didn't even hesitate to touch her.

Amy checked her watch. "It's 5 pm. I didn't realize it was so late. I still need to get to the airport." Amy stood and Sheldon followed suit.

They drove in comfortable silence, stealing glances at each other periodically.

Parked outside Sheldon's apartment building, Amy turned to face him. "I've really enjoyed spending this time with you, Dr. Cooper. May I call you Sheldon?"

"But we hardly know each other. I called my mother Mrs. Cooper until I knew her better."

Amy chuckled quietly, but it wasn't the kind of laughter he endured from the other children when he was younger. It was loaded with understanding and compassion. "I understand, Dr. Cooper."

"Please, call me Sheldon."

She looked at him in surprise. "What made you change your mind?"

"While it's true that we've only known each other a few hours, for the first time in my life, I feel like someone finally understands me. Thank you… Amy."

Amy's heart rate accelerated. He looked at her in a way that no one ever had, with a mixture of awe and fondness.

"Goodnight Sheldon. I'll see you at 3 o'clock tomorrow."

"Goodnight Amy. I look forward to it."


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank** **you** **everyone for the kind reviews. I'm enjoying writing my first multi-chapter story.**

Amy left her lab early to be on time to pick Sheldon up for the dentist. He appeared at precisely 3 o'clock. They waved at each other shyly before Sheldon let himself in the car.

"Hi Sheldon."

"Hello Amy."

"How was your day?" She asked as she backed out of her parking space.

"It was good to be back at work after being away for a week. If it hadn't been my Meemaw's 80th birthday, I wouldn't have even taken time off."

"Why not?"

"I rarely take vacation because I'd much rather be working. I can't let this mind go to waste. President Siebert forced me to take a vacation a couple of times. It was torture," he explained.

"I normally don't take vacation either, but that's mostly due to the fact that I have no one to visit and no one to go with."

"Well if you ever do go anywhere, I recommend avoiding East Texas. It's full of creationists who think science is voodoo."

"Noted."

As they neared the dental office, Sheldon warned Amy, "Just to let you know, they have to sedate me because I'm a biter, so don't be alarmed if I look groggy afterwards."

"I'd better wait for you inside then," she offered.

In the waiting room, Amy flipped through magazine after magazine, nothing catching her attention. She had no interest in fashion or celebrities. She looked up to see the receptionist filing her nearly-perfect manicured nails. That didn't look sanitary or professional.

The only time she had a manicure was when her mother had gotten her one for her 16th birthday. She told her she needed to start acting like a lady. If she didn't care about her looks, she would never land a man. Amy had been enraged and nearly stormed out of the nail salon. She didn't need a man. She was an independent young woman who was going to make something of herself. The only thing that stopped her was the fact that only one hand had been worked on, and she valued symmetry. When they returned home, her mother had ushered her to the sin closet where she spent the next four hours.

She shook her head to rid herself of the memory, took in a deep breath, then pulled out her phone to check her email.

Sheldon emerged from the exam room 25 minutes later. "My hygiene is impeccable. No cavities!" He exclaimed proudly.

"That's great Sheldon. Are you okay to walk to the car, or do you need to lean on me?"

I'm okay. Thanks for asking."

They walked out to the car. Sheldon appeared a little unsteady, so Amy held his arm and guided him in before getting into the driver's seat.

"Leonard always takes me out for ice cream after the dentist. Oh, and I told him not to pick up dinner tonight since you'll be doing it."

"Sheldon! I didn't agree to all of this."

"You still owe me."

"Fine, but next time you need to give me some notice," Amy agreed reluctantly.

"I didn't have any notice when you took my luggage," he whined.

"Sheldon!"

"Fine. I'll give you more notice in the future. In fact, I'll write up a contract detailing everything you'll need to do to make it up to me."

Amy wondered how much more she would have to do before her debt was paid. After all, she only had his suitcase for a few hours, and it was an honest mistake. She supposed she would continue chauffeuring him around as she enjoyed spending time with him and had nothing better to do anyway.

"Where would you like to get dinner?"

"Today's Monday; Monday I eat Thai food. I always order mee krob and chicken satay with extra peanut sauce from Siam Palace. I also have everyone else's orders memorized. I have an eidetic memory."

"Who's everyone else? Sheldon, I'm not buying food for a group of people."

"You'll just be picking it up; everyone pays their share. Well except Penny before she married Leonard. I don't think that woman ever paid for a meal in her life." Amy half listened as Sheldon went on and on about how Penny used his Wi-Fi and drank his milk, among other things.

After stopping at Bengees Ice Cream Crafters on Del Mar Boulevard, they headed to Siam Palace. Sheldon recited the orders to the cashier. Amy was delighted by his memory. The mee krob looked delicious, so she decided to order some for herself too so she wouldn't have to worry about cooking. As they carried the bags of food-filled Styrofoam containers to the car, Sheldon caught Amy off guard with a question.

"Do you have any plans tonight?" He asked.

"Just going home to eat and unwind with a book."

"Since it's Thai food night and you will be eating Thai, you should join me and my friends."

"I don't know, Sheldon. I'm not used to socializing in groups. I'd probably feel uncomfortable."

"You already met Leonard and Penny. Leonard's a physicist too, but he's an experimental physicist, and I'm much more intelligent. Penny is a community college dropout who moved here from Nebraska to be an actress. She was terrible at it, so she waitressed at the Cheesecake Factory. She wasn't very good at that either. She works as a pharmaceutical sales rep now and makes more money than Leonard.

"Then there's Rajesh, an astrophysicist. Wolowitz is just an engineer, but his wife is a microbiologist. You have that in common with her. I hope that puts you more at ease now that you have some background."

Amy hesitated then reluctantly gave in. "Okay, but I probably won't stay long."

He gave her a dazzling smile that reached his beautiful blue eyes. She smiled back.

"Now let's get a move on before my food gets cold."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Amy meets the rest of Sheldon's friends in this chapter.**

 **Thank you again, everyone, for liking, following, and reviewing this story. It means a great deal to me. I'm enjoying writing and sharing with you all.**

When Sheldon and Amy arrived at 4A, everyone was already there. The group gaped at the newcomers. Sheldon brought a girl over?

"Everyone, I'd like you to meet Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler. She's a neurobiologist at Caltech. Amy, you've already met Leonard and Penny. This is Howard and his wife Bernadette, and this is..."

"My name is Rajesh Ramayan Koothrapalli, but you can call me Raj."

"Thank you, but I think I'll call you Rajesh until we know each other better."

Sheldon and Amy shared a smile. Sheldon walked over to the coffee table, where he set down the bag of food he was carrying, then took a seat at his spot on the couch. He looked back towards the door to see Amy standing there uncertainly.

"Move over, Wolowitz. Amy will sit next to me."

Howard grumbled but vacated the middle seat and grabbed a chair. Sheldon gazed back at her and patted the seat next to him. All eyes were on Amy as she slowly made her way to the couch. She set the food she was carrying next to Sheldon's then settled in between him and Bernadette.

Leonard and Penny exchanged a look of disbelief. They knew Sheldon was making his new acquaintance run errands but were shocked that he asked her to come over and meet his friends. He knew her less than 36 hours, and already he was asking her to sit next to him. It took him years to tolerate his current friends. What sort of magic hold she have over him? Howard and Bernadette discreetly glanced from Sheldon to Amy and back again. Raj openly stared at Amy.

Amy looked down at her hands folded neatly in her lap then cleared her throat, "Good evening everyone." A chorus of hi's and hello's were directed at her.

"Welcome back Amy. I hope Sheldon hasn't been giving you too much grief over the whole suitcase thing," Penny said. She explained to the group what transpired over the weekend as everyone dug into their meals.

"Not at all," she replied, smiling at Sheldon who returned her smile. Amy thoughtfully chewed a few bites of food before turning to the petite blonde to her right. "Bernadette, Sheldon tells me you're a microbiologist."

"I am. I waitressed at the Cheesecake Factory with Penny to put myself through school. I was head hunted by Zangen, a big pharmaceutical company. They pay me a buttload of money."

Raj interrupted, "I'm an astrophysicist at Caltech. You should stop by the telescope lab one night and let me point out the constellations. We could maybe set out a blanket, get a bottle of wine..."

Leonard couldn't believe his ears. "Really Raj? Don't you have enough women in your life?"

"You mean Claire and Emily? Claire and I only went out for coffee once. It wasn't a date; I just helped her with her screenplay. I've been thinking of breaking it off with Emily. I'm not sure if we're right for each other. In fact, she and I are seeing each other tomorrow, and I was thinking about doing it then. Then I'll be single and ready to mingle!"

"Raj, do you really want to break up with your girlfriend right before Valentine's Day?" Penny asked.

Sheldon scoffed, "Valentine's Day is just a ploy for the chocolate, floral, and greeting card companies to prey on the gullible."

"Agreed. Fun fact - did you know that the iconic Valentine's heart shape is not actually based on the shape of a human heart, but rather on the shape of the buttocks of a female bending over?" Amy informed the group.

"Wow, now there's two of them," Penny whispered to her husband. She addressed Raj again. "Sweetie, I really think you should wait before breaking up with your girlfriend."

"Why? Emily's not the romantic I am. Her idea of a Valentine's date is to watch Texas Chainsaw Massacre."

"That's not the point. You'll hurt her feelings, and she'll be all alone on the biggest love celebration day of the year," Penny stated.

"She'll be fine, and if Amy agrees to a date, I won't be alone. So what do you say, Amy? I'm pretty sure the telescope is free on Valentine's Day," Raj looked at her expectantly.

"I'm sorry, Rajesh. We've just met and know nothing about each other. Besides, I find the idea of Valentine's Day off putting."

"Okay, how about another day?"

Amy didn't know how to respond. A man she just met was asking her out? What did he even see in her, or was he so desperate that any woman would do? Luckily Sheldon saved her from having to answer.

"That's enough, Koothrapalli. Cool your jets. I miss the days when you couldn't talk to women."

Amy was wary of Raj, but that didn't keep the neurobiologist in her from being intrigued by this new piece of information. "Ah, selective mutism. What I would have given to cover your skull with electrodes and analyze your brain wave activity." She asked him when it started, how long he lived with the condition, and how he was able to overcome it. Raj was eating up the attention.

Sheldon's left eye twitched as Koothrapalli monopolized the conversation. He was glad Amy appeared more relaxed, but he had to put a stop to this by changing the subject.

"I know you all have plans for Valentine's Day, well except you, Raj, and you know that I think the holiday is complete hocum. Amy, from your previous statements, I have come to the conclusion that you have no plans to take part in this cockamamy celebration either. I'm planning to host my first live episode of Fun With Flags that day. Would you care to join me?"

"What's Fun With Flags?" She asked.

"Uh oh. Here we go," Leonard groaned.

"I'm going to ignore your comment, Leonard, seeing as we have a guest in our home tonight. Fun With Flags is an internet show I created a few years ago that teaches the viewers about flags. Vexillology, or the study of flags, is a fascinating subject. I'm the producer, writer, and star of the show. Occasionally I will invite guest stars, such as my friend Wil Wheaton, from Star Trek."

Amy thought back to Valentine's Days past. Each one was spent alone. She hadn't given them much thought though, as she was a woman of science. The day was just like any other. She'd go to work then come home to play her harp, read a book, or maybe watch an episode or two of Little House on the Prairie. Sheldon shared her views on the holiday. There would be no gifts or any sort of inappropriate physical contact, and the flag show sounded interesting.

"I would be happy to join you, Sheldon."

When the guys began arguing over which superhero was better - Green Lantern or Green Arrow, Penny led Amy and Bernadette to the island to start their own conversation. Penny poured a glass of red wine and offered it to Amy. She politely declined as it was getting late, and she had to drive home soon. She shrugged then slid the glass over to Bernadette. Amy watched as she twirled it around but didn't take a drink the whole time. Interesting.

Amy learned that Sheldon seldom took part in the ingestion of alcohol. She herself did not often have the chance to partake. Perhaps if she got another chance to hang out with Penny, she would take her up on the offer.

At 8:30 Amy excused herself. She had to get home and prepare for the next day. "I should get going. It was nice meeting you all."

"I'll walk you to your car," Sheldon offered.

They walked down the stairs side by side in comfortable silence. When they reached her car, she said sincerely, "Thank you for inviting me, Sheldon. I had a lovely time."

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. They're good people. Well, everyone but Raj. Ever since he's conquered his inability to speak to women, he's gotten very cocky."

"I don't have any romantic interest in Raj. He'll have to find another significant other." She thought she glimpsed a flicker of relief on his face but quickly dismissed it.

After they exchanged goodbyes, she unlocked the door, sat down in the driver's seat, and rolled down the window to let in the fresh evening air then turned on the ignition.

"Amy, wait!" Sheldon bent down so they were at eye level. "I promised I would give you notice the next time I ask you to do anything for me. I'll leave you alone for a couple of days and contact you when I have the contract written up. You have my number, but I don't have yours." He handed her his phone.

Amy entered her cell and work numbers along with her email address into his contact list. Sheldon looked at her information, briefly closed his eyes, and already had everything memorized.

"Bye, Sheldon. I'll wait for your call." Sheldon waved as she backed out and kept his eyes fixed on her car until her tail lights disappeared into the night.

He climbed back up the stairs. When he reached the 4th floor landing, he heard the muffled voices of his friends. As soon as he turned the door handle and let himself in, however, everyone went suspiciously quiet. He looked from one guilty face to another. "Were you talking about Amy behind her back? Don't you like Amy?"

"No one said anything negative about Amy. We're all just surprised," Leonard affirmed.

"Why?"

Howard spoke up, "I never thought I'd live to see the day Sheldon got a girlfriend."

Sheldon huffed, "Amy's a girl who is my friend, but she's not my girlfriend."

"Then why did you ask her to join you on Valentine's Day?" His friends looked at him expectantly.

"It has nothing to do with what day it is. We will be hosting an internet show about flags, not engaging in coitus. You heard her herself. She finds the holiday off putting."

"I'm going to get to know her better, and then she'll be _my_ girlfriend," Raj said dreamily. Sheldon reached over and karate chopped Raj on the shoulder.

"Hey! Why did you do that?" Raj asked, massaging his injured shoulder.

"To send a message. She is not for you!"

"If I didn't know better, I'd say Sheldon's jealous," Penny piped up.

"Oh please. My relationship with Amy is purely intellectual. I'm merely trying to protect her from this two-timing Casanova."

"We believe you, Sweetie," Penny stated sarcastically.

"Thank you, Penny," Sheldon replied, as usual taking the words literally but oblivious to her tone of voice.


	7. Chapter 7

Amy practically skipped from her car to her building. She really did have a wonderful time, aside from the awkward moment with Rajesh.

She checked her phone as she rode the elevator up to her third floor apartment. Three missed calls from her mother. It was getting late but still early enough to call back.

Her mother answered on the first ring. "Why didn't you answer your phone? Are you screening my calls now?"

"Hello to you too, Mother."

"Careful, Amelia. That sass isn't going to win you any friends."

Amy held her tongue. Why did she decide to call back tonight? The day had gone so well, and now her mother was starting to ruin it. "I see three missed calls. You must have something important to tell me."

"Where have you been?"

"I was busy," she replied, not wishing to elaborate to avoid an interrogation. Her mother didn't need to know she was running errands for someone due to an error on her part.

"Let me guess, you spent the whole evening at work with your lab rats instead of going out and meeting people." Amy's mother paused to allow her daughter to respond but was met with silence.

"Amy, the reason I called was to tell you about my friend Marge's son. He and his wife recently divorced, so he's looking to get back into the dating scene. I told her you're single also and gave her your number to pass onto him."

"Mother! Why would you do that?"

"Jeremy has a successful dental practice..."

Amy cut her mother off, "I appreciate your efforts, but I do not wish to become involved with a recently-divorced man. Do you even know why they're divorced? Did he cheat on her?"

Mrs. Fowler's voice rose, "Amelia Farrah Fowler, what a terrible thing to say! I am just trying to help. You are 34 years old and have never had a boyfriend. Had it not been for our agreement, you would never have even gone on one date. You don't even try. If you would just put in a little effort, you could find a man to take care of you."

"I keep telling you, I don't need anyone to take care of me! I'm an independent woman with a well-paying career!" She shouted.

Amy's upstairs neighbor stomped on the floor and hollered to keep it down. Amy lowered her voice, "Please, Mother. Can we let this go?"

"As it's getting late, I will agree to drop the subject tonight after I say this - I expect you to fulfill our agreement to go on a minimum of one date per year. If you're adamant about not dating Jeremy, we still have almost 11 months to find you a date."

Amy blew out a breath. Of course her mother had to bring up their agreement. She relented. "I promise I won't break our agreement, but please let me do this on my own. If Jeremy calls, I will politely decline."

"I will agree to that on one condition. If you haven't gone on a date by November, I will intervene."

"Deal."

Amy fell into a fitful sleep. At 3 a.m., she awoke and was unable to fall back asleep. Some chamomile tea was in order. She got up to put the kettle on then paced her living room as she waited for the water to boil.

Why was her mother always so insistent that she needed taking care of when she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself? Her mother was behind the times. Women have worked outside the house for decades.

Amy loved her job. From the time she was 12 years old, she knew she wanted to be a neurobiologist. She read every biology text book and medical journal she could get her hands on. She studied hard and was always at the top of her class. A boyfriend would have gotten in the way of her dream.

At first, Mrs. Fowler gently tried asking her daughter to go out and meet people. Amy always declined. Over the years, Mrs. Fowler became increasingly agitated. Her friends' daughters all had boyfriends, while her own had never even been on one date.

When her mother enacted the agreement on her 21st birthday. Amy agreed just to get her off her back and with the promise that she could borrow her mother's George Foreman grill any time.

Even after Amy graduated from college and was hired in her field, she still had no desire to date, but she honored her mother's agreement. None of those dates ever turned into a second date. If the guy wasn't turned off by her lack of fashion sense or her dry sense of humor, she made sure to do something to ensure he never contacted her again.

Amy slowly counted to ten. "Relax, Fowler," she chided herself. She poured the boiling water over her tea bag with shaky hands, nearly spilling it on herself.

As she drank her tea, she started to feel it's calming effects. With a clear head, she began formulating a plan that included a certain theoretical physicist. She just hoped he would be willing to go along with it. Little did she know that he was formulating a plan of his own.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Thank you again to everyone who has favorited, followed, and reviewed this story. Your support means a lot to me.**

 **This is another short chapter - Sheldon's point of view from the night Amy met his friends. We find out a little about Sheldon's plan. Amy's plan won't be revealed quite yet, but I think it will be worth the wait. I hope you all enjoy!**

Immediately after Howard, Bernadette, and Raj exited the apartment, Sheldon made a beeline for his desk. He only had one hour until his bedtime. He flipped open his laptop, rolled up his sleeves, and began typing furiously.

Penny sidled up to him. "Whatcha doin' there, Sheldon?"

"I'm typing up a contractual agreement detailing everything Amy is required to accomplish to make amends for her faux pas."

"Sheldon, don't you think you're being a little hard on Amy?" Leonard asked him incredulously.

"Not at all, Leonard," Sheldon answered without looking up from his laptop, his fingers flying over the keys. He was in his element. Generating contracts was one of his greatest passions.

"Well I think you are. She only had your suitcase for a few hours. That's hardly an inconvenience. You've already asked that poor girl to drive you to the train store and the dentist and coerced her into picking up your dinner. Isn't that enough?"

"Leonard, that was just the beginning. To you a few hours may not seem like much; however, to me it felt like a eternity. Besides, for every task I have Amy complete, that's one less task for you."

"Good point. Night, Buddy," Leonard said, motioning Penny to follow him to their bedroom before Sheldon changed his mind.

"Goodnight, Sheldon," Penny echoed as she caught up to her husband. They walked out of the room hand in hand.

Sheldon bid them a distracted goodnight. In the absence of his roommates' watchful eyes, he looked over his shoulder and stared at the middle couch seat, the one Amy occupied earlier that evening. In the span of 36 hours, he had already grown quite fond of her. He hoped the feeling was mutual. She said she had a lovely time, but he wondered if she was being honest or just playing along until her obligation to him was fulfilled. He never had been good at reading facial expressions and body language.

Leonard felt he was being too hard on her. Maybe he was right, though Sheldon would never admit that to his face, but the thought of never hanging out with Amy again was unimaginable. It was possible that she really did consider him a friend and would continue to spend time with him without feeling obligated, but he wasn't ready to take that chance. He needed to maintain the facade of distress over his lost luggage until he was certain she wouldn't abandon him. This contract would ensure it.

At 10 o'clock, Sheldon had his first draft completed. He saved the document and sent a copy to the cloud for backup. There would be plenty of time to proofread it tomorrow. If only he had chosen his words more carefully. He should have said he'd call her the next day instead of in a couple of days, but he was a man of his word and wouldn't go back on his promise.

He stood up and yawned, stretching his arms over his head, then took care of his nighttime ablutions.

The lanky physicist lifted his perfectly folded Monday pajamas out of his dresser and shrugged into them then pulled back the covers, fluffed his pillow, and climbed into bed. He lay on his back cocooned in his quilt in the middle of his bed, as he did every night. Flicking off the bedside lamp, he shut his eyes, but sleep eluded him.

Sheldon cocked his ear but heard no sounds of amorous activities or snoring coming from Leonard and Penny's bedroom. His eyes wandered over to his window. It was closed and the blinds were drawn. He breathed in deeply. There were no distracting scents. His pillow was fluffed just right, his mattress was contoured to his body, and everything was in its proper place.

"Well this is strange," he thought to himself. "These are the perfect conditions for sleeping."

He got up to confirm the thermostat was set to a comfortable 71 degrees. "Curiouser and curiouser," he muttered.

He returned to bed and stared up at the ceiling. Never in his nearly 36 years of life had he had trouble falling asleep when the conditions were ideal. He had even slept better the night he came home without his luggage.

He thought back over the events of the past two days. He would be lying to himself if he denied the fact that the brunette neurobiologist had something to do with his inability to drift off to sleep. He couldn't stop thinking about her. None of his other friends ever kept him awake at night.

"What has that vixen done to me?" He murmured.

He rolled over onto his side, hoping the change in position could also change his train of thought. When that didn't work, he surrendered to his thoughts by organizing them into lists, another one of his passions. He began creating a mental list of everything he admired about his new friend.

1\. She was more intelligent than anyone else he knew, almost as intelligent as himself.

2\. She listened intently to everything he said and never once rolled her eyes or try to change the subject.

3\. She seemed genuinely concerned for his well being.

4\. She made him feel at ease.

5\. She found Valentine's Day offputting.

6\. She was an excellent driver...

His eyelids fluttered closed as he drifted to sleep counting all the characteristics that made Amy a superior human being.


	9. Chapter 9

Amy found herself missing Sheldon over the next two days. Her work kept her busy during the day, but loneliness set in over the evening hours. To take her mind off her solitude, she scrubbed her kitchen and bathroom floors, organized her closet, and learned a new song on her harp.

Wednesday night she was sipping tea while watching a Little House on the Prairie DVD when her phone vibrated, signaling an incoming text.

S: Hi Amy. This is Sheldon.

A: Hi Sheldon.

S: I have the contact written up. Are you free tomorrow night?

A: What time?

S: 6?

A: That works for me.

S: Excellent! Tomorrow is Thursday, and Thursday is pizza night. Don't worry, I won't ask you to pick it up this time, as I promised I would give you notice before performing additional tasks, but you're welcome to join us.

A: I'd love to. Thanks.

S: I will see you tomorrow. Goodnight.

A: Goodnight, Sheldon. Sweet dreams.

When Amy arrived at 4A the next day, she overheard Sheldon shouting at his roommates to wait until Amy arrived before stuffing their faces with pizza. This was followed by Leonard's and Penny's muffled voices. Not wishing to eavesdrop, she knocked to alert them of her arrival.

"Good evening, Amy," Sheldon greeted her with a smile, opening the door wide to allow her entry into the apartment.

"Hi Sheldon." Amy exchanged pleasantries with Leonard and Penny then asked, "Is everyone else coming?"

"Bernadette is feeling under the weather and insisted Howard stay home to take care of her. Raj broke up with his girlfriend on Tuesday and is probably at home sulking." Sheldon divulged, shaking his head.

Amy was a little disappointed the petite microbiologist wouldn't be joining them but was relieved she would not have to see Raj so soon after his breakup.

"Leonard picked up three different types of pizza." Sheldon informed her. "I hope you find something to your liking."

Amy selected a slice of cheese pizza then took a seat next to Sheldon. Penny was seated in the armchair to Sheldon's left, and Leonard pulled up a chair to Penny's other side.

Penny turned to Amy. "So Amy, tell us more about your job."

Amy swallowed a bite of pizza then demurely dabbed at her lips with a paper napkin before responding. "I'm currently working on a nicotine addiction study with Capuchin monkeys. I just traded Ricky's menthols for a low-dose nicotine patch, so he wasn't a picnic to work with today."

Sheldon made a face. "Ugh, picnics. Picnics are no picnic. Where should we go for lunch? Oh, I know, the ground."

"I concur with your sentiments of the literal definition of a picnic, but the adage seemed fitting."

Leonard and Penny exchanged a look. The similarities between their roommate and his new friend were striking.

As soon as the group polished off their dinner, Sheldon raced over to his desk. He returned to his spot on the couch and handed Amy a neatly-typed three-page document in a protective sleeve. "I present to you The Obligation Agreement."

Amy admired the front cover title, which was perfectly centered. "What is this font? I don't believe I recognize it."

Sheldon beamed at her proudly. "I created it myself; I call it Shelvetica."

Leonard and Penny rolled their eyes in unison.

"I saw that!" Sheldon remarked.

Amy began perusing the document. She suddenly stood up so she was standing in front of Sheldon, glaring down at him, hands on her hips then read aloud, "Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler, herein referred to as 'the offender', and Dr. Sheldon Lee Cooper, herein referred to as 'the offendee'?! You refer to me as an offender? Now I'm offended! I didn't commit a criminal act; it was an honest mistake."

Sheldon had the decency to look guilty. "Fine, I'll change it." Sheldon walked over to his laptop and opened the document. He did a find and replace for the offensive words.

"Before I print another copy, I'd like you to view the rest of the contract electronically." He rolled Leonard's office chair to his desk and motioned Amy to have a seat. He moved his chair slightly to the left so they could both read the screen.

Amy plopped down in Leonard's chair and reread the paragraph. "Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler, herein referred to as 'Dr. Fowler', and Dr. Sheldon Lee Cooper, herein referred to as 'Dr. Cooper'. That's much better." She continued silently reading through all the legal jargon, taking in every word. Sheldon watched her intently as Leonard and Penny cleared the dishes and wiped down the counters.

The contract would begin on Sunday, February 14. When Amy reached the portion concerning the length of her obligation, she turned to face Sheldon and once more glared at him. He noticed how her eyes went from a bright emerald to a much darker shade of green.

"Twelve weeks?! You think my error entitles you to 12 weeks of my services?"

Penny snickered and nudged Leonard, but the neurobiologist and theoretical physicist just looked at her oddly, the double entendre going straight over their heads.

Sheldon looked back at Amy and opened and closed his mouth several times. Had he gone too far? He couldn't bear to have her disappear from his life forever.

Amy watched Sheldon intently, trying to interpret his actions. She looked into his eyes and saw stubbornness, uncertainty, and fear. Fear? What was he afraid of? She didn't think she raised her voice that high. Perhaps he had a flashback to his childhood when his parents fought?

She gently laid her hand on his forearm. "I'm sorry I yelled at you, Sheldon. That was uncalled for. I was just surprised at the timeframe. I will continue perusing the contract, and if I have any issues with anything, we can discuss them rationally."

Sheldon let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. "Thank you, Amy."

"Did you see that, Leonard? Amy touched Sheldon, and he didn't pull away or even flinch," Penny whispered.

"We'll give you some privacy," Leonard said aloud, signaling his wife to follow him across the hall.

"It was good to see you both again," Amy responded, giving them a little wave. Free from interruptions, she began reading aloud again:

 **Section 1 - Recurring Commitments**

 _Sunday - Funday_

Dr. Fowler will transport Dr. Cooper to the train store, whereupon she will assist him with his internet show 'Fun With Flags'.

 _Monday - Thai food night_

Dr. Fowler will transport Dr. Cooper to Siam Palace, whereupon she will assist in carrying the purchased items and accompany him to 2311 North Los Robles Avenue.

 _Tuesday - Cheeseburger night_

Dr. Fowler will transport Dr. Cooper to The Cheesecake Factory, whereupon they will dine with the Hofstadters, Wolowitzs, and Dr. Koothrapalli.

 _Wednesday - Comic book night_

Dr. Fowler is excused from any recurring commitments.

 _Thursday - Pizza night_

Dr. Fowler will transport Dr. Cooper to Giacomo's, whereupon she will assist in carrying the purchased items and accompany him to 2311 North Los Robles Avenue.

 _Friday - Chinese food and vintage video game night_

Dr. Fowler will transport Dr. Cooper to Golden Dragon, whereupon she will assist in carrying the purchased items and accompany him to 2311 North Los Robles Avenue.

 _Saturday - laundry night_

Dr. Fowler is excused from any recurring commitments.

She looked up at him. "That sounds reasonable."

"There is one more page."

 **Section 2 - Nonrecurring Commitments**

The following tasks will be performed by Dr. Fowler only if scheduled. Scheduled is defined as a minimum of 48 hours notice.

 _Appointments -_ Dr. Fowler will transport Dr. Cooper to and from scheduled appointments, including, but not limited to, doctor, dentist, haircut.

In the event of an emergent appointment, Dr. Fowler will be excused, and Dr. Leonard Hofstadter will assume tasks.

 _Miscellaneous errands_ \- Dr. Fowler will transport Dr. Cooper to and from various errands, including, but not limited to, shopping for groceries and household items.

 _Events_ \- Dr. Fowler will accompany Dr. Cooper to social events, including, but not limited to, university fundraisers.

Amy sat back and thought about her feelings on the matter. Twelve weeks was more time than she felt necessary to pay off her debt, but the extra time could be used to her advantage. She would wait a little longer before revealing her plan to him.

Sheldon looked at her expectantly. Would she sign the contract as is or ask him to make more changes?

"I need some clarification about the last item on your list. It says I will accompany you to social events. Would you like me to stay with you or just drive you to and from them?"

"I would like for you to drive me as well as keep me company. Leonard and Howard bring their wives and Raj always brought Emily to events, leaving me to my own devices. With you there, I could fulfill my obligations while having an intellectual conversation rather than fending off anyone wishing to engage in unsolicited small talk. Even though Raj is currently unattached, I fear he would just whine about his status making for an uncomfortable evening for myself."

She looked him in the eyes and declared, "I agree to the terms."

"Excellent. I will print a new copy and collect our signatures then scan and email you a copy for your files."

They shook hands to seal the deal then Sheldon walked her to her car again. She unlocked the car door then stood facing him. "I guess I'll see you on Sunday. What time would you like me to stop by?"

"Does 1 p.m. work for you?"

"Yes. I will be here promptly at 1 p.m. Goodnight, Sheldon."

"Goodnight, Amy," he replied, once again watching as she disappeared into the night.


	10. Chapter 10

When Amy arrived at Sheldon's apartment complex on Sunday, he was standing outside waiting for her.

"I thought I'd save you the trouble of walking up the stairs only to come right back down again."

"Thanks, Sheldon. That was very thoughtful. Happy Valentine's Day."

"Really, Amy? I thought you were above that lovey dovey nonsense."

"I am, but I felt it a fitting greeting, given what day it is."

Sheldon got into the passenger seat and decided to ignore her comment. He didn't want to say anything to make her second guess signing the contract.

As they drove to their destination, they talked about what they'd both been up to since they last saw each other on Thursday. Amy filled him in on the progress of her study at work. Sheldon told her about all the whining Raj did in the cafeteria and while the guys tried to play vintage video games on Friday.

"Honestly, you would think he had an incurable disease the way he was acting."

Two hours later, as they pulled away from the train store, Amy asked, "Shall I pick anything up for our Fun With Flags show?"

"I have all the flag paraphernalia we'll need tonight, but I wouldn't object to you picking up dinner while I set up."

"What do you eat on Sundays?"

"I always have fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, corn on the cob, and buttermilk biscuits. It's what my mom always cooked for Sunday dinner. Her food is to die for, figuratively speaking, of course. The restaurants don't even come close. She also makes the best peach cobbler."

"That sounds delicious. I'll drop you off at home to set up. I have some things I need to do at my place, then I'll come by with dinner."

After she dropped Sheldon off, she made a quick trip to the grocery store.

Just before 6 p.m., Amy reached the 3rd floor landing of Sheldon's building. She paused to set down a large tote bag bulging with her purse and containers of food, catching her breath and giving her arms a rest. The tenants really needed to persuade management to fix the elevator. Luckily Leonard and Penny were on their way down.

"Hey, Amy. Let me get that for you," Leonard offered. He lifted the tote, nearly toppling over from the unexpected weight. "What do you have in here? A ton of bricks?"

"Thank you, Leonard. It's just some things for my dinner with Sheldon tonight."

Penny ran back up to the 4th floor. "Sheldon, Amy's here," she announced. To Amy she said, "Leonard and I have dinner reservations at a fancy restaurant, so we better get going. Have fun tonight!" She grabbed the tote from her husband as he struggled up the last few steps and set it on the 4th floor landing.

Sheldon stepped out into the hallway sniffing appreciatively. "Amy, that smells wonderful."

"Thanks, Sheldon." She walked over to the island intending to unpack the food, but it was set up with two dinner plates with perfectly placed silverware sitting atop cloth napkins.

"Since this is your first time co-hosting Fun With Flags, I thought you would be less nervous if we had a relaxing dinner instead of sitting on the couch," he explained.

He cleared a space on the back counter. Amy reached into the tote and removed a bucket of chicken, followed by a small crockpot with mashed potatoes, a container of gravy, corn on the cob, and a basket brimming with homemade buttermilk biscuits. "I picked up the chicken from the restaurant and made the rest myself."

Sheldon's mouth watered. He grabbed his plate and loaded it with the goodies. Amy did the same, then they took their seats at the island. Sheldon took a bite out of a biscuit. His eyes rolled back into his head. "Oh, dear Lord! These are even better than my mother's!"

"I'm so glad you like it."

"Like it? I love it!" He devoured the remainder of the biscuit. "Where are my manners? Would you like a cup of tea?" He asked, getting up to bring the tea box over to her.

"I'd love some. I'll have that one," she said, pointing to a packet of green tea."

"Excellent choice. I will have the same." They ate and talked as they waited for the water to boil.

"I brought one more thing that I made this afternoon. It will go well with the tea," Amy said as she pulled a covered baking pan from the tote.

Sheldon flipped open the lid and gasped in delight. "Peach cobbler! This is turning into the best day ever!"

Amy beamed. "I'll serve you a slice. Where do you keep your plates and utensils?"

Sheldon stepped around her to reach into the cupboard and produced two small plates. "Forks are in here and knives over there."

They dug into the cobbler, Sheldon moaning appreciatively with each bite.

At 7:30 he excused himself to gather the flags from his bedroom as Amy placed the leftovers in the fridge. He returned and ushered her into the living room. "Please, have a seat."

They settled into their respective seats on the couch. He set the flags down on the coffee table in front of him then faced her. "Only 25 minutes until show time. Are you nervous?"

"A little," she admitted.

"Let's practice first to loosen you up. I'll pretend I'm a caller, and you can welcome me to the show."

They bantered back and forth for a few minutes then Sheldon double checked his laptop's video and audio settings and unveiled the whiteboard behind them.

'Dr. Sheldon Cooper Presents Fun With Flags'. Then in smaller print below 'with co-host Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler'.

"Ten seconds to show time. Ready Dr. Cooper?" They counted down together. When they reached 'one', Amy hit the 'on' button.

"Good evening and welcome to the very first live episode of 'Dr. Cooper Presents Fun With Flags'. Tonight I'd like to introduce you to my co-host, Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler."

She waved into the camera. "Good evening, everyone."

"Over the next 60 minutes, you will be given the opportunity to call in with your flag-related thoughts and questions. Oh look, our first caller. Go ahead caller, you're on the air."

"Penny was right. I should have waited until after Valentine's Day to break up with Emily. Now I'm all alone."

"Raj?" Sheldon asked.

"I screwed everything up just like I always do. What is wrong with me?" Raj wailed.

"Well, for starters, this show is called Fun With Flags not Dear Abby, so unless you wish to discuss flags, I suggest disconnecting right now."

Amy interjected. "Sheldon, your friend is hurting. Can you try being a bit supportive?"

Raj perked up, "Hi, Amy! You are so kind. You know, Valentine's Day is not over yet. The sky is clear, perfect conditions for stargazing."

"Rajesh, I'm sorry you took my words the wrong way. You just got out of a relationship. You're on the rebound, and I don't want to get involved in that type of situation."

"What is a good timeframe..."

Sheldon intervened, "The lady isn't interested." He put his arm around her protectively.

"Sheldon, we have another caller." She hit the answer button. "Hello, and welcome to Fun With Flags. What is your question?"

"Nice job, Cooper! Where did you find that hottie?"

"Kripke?"

"Who's Kripke?" Amy asked.

He turned slightly to look her. "Barry Kripke. My arch nemesis at the university."

"Cooper, you didn't answer my question. Your girlfriend... how did you manage to get a hottie like that?"

Sheldon tightened his arm around Amy. "I consider Amy a very good friend, but she is not my girlfriend."

"Really? Well, in that case, Amy how would you like to spend time with a real man? One who will..."

"That's enough, Barry. Amy, I'm sorry this has gotten out of hand."

"It's not your fault." She discreetly placed her left hand on his lower back and rubbed in soothing circles, both to calm him down and reassure him that she was okay.

To his callers he said, "Gentlemen, you leave me no choice but to disconnect you. To all our other callers, we will refrain from taking additional calls tonight. I apologize if you planned on calling in to ask legitimate flag questions. You can comment on my Youtube channel, where they will be screened for appropriateness and answered in a future episode."

Sheldon apologized to Amy again after they signed off. "I hope you don't regret agreeing to co-host. I promise you, the show has always been a lot more fun when it's pre-taped. Tonight was our first and last live episode."

She looked up into his eyes as he gazed down into hers. "I believe you, Sheldon, and look forward to our next show. I still had a good time with you tonight."

"As did I with you. Thank you again for dinner. It's not often I eat anything homemade. Would it be too much to ask if we do it again sometime soon?" He asked hopefully.

"I think that can be arranged." She checked her watch. "It's after 9 p.m., so I should be going. Goodnight, Sheldon."

"I'll walk you to your car."


	11. Chapter 11

Amy quickly became a fixture at 4A. She fell into a routine of fulfilling her commitments, while at the same time enjoying the company of Sheldon and his friends.

Even though Wednesdays and Saturdays were her days off from recurring commitments, as outlined in The Obligation Agreement, hardly a day passed where she didn't see Sheldon. He frequently scheduled appointments and miscellaneous errands on Wednesdays. They spent Saturday mornings grocery shopping and afternoons at the Lego store.

Four weeks into their contract, Sheldon met Amy at her car after work to go to Siam Palace. He got in and began talking animatedly about a possible breakthrough in physics. She nodded appropriately but didn't contribute to the conversation.

"You're awfully quiet today. Are you upset?" He asked, concern etched in his face.

"Yes," she answered, staring straight ahead, not wishing to elaborate.

"Is it something I said?"

"No, you've been a wonderful friend to me," she said, turning to him slightly. A small smile touched her lips but didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"My mother left me a voicemail. She wants me to have dinner with her Sunday night," she stated, tonelessly.

"But Sunday we're hosting Fun With Flags. You signed a contract," he sputtered.

"I know. I made a commitment to you and intend to keep it. That's not the issue," she reassured him.

"Then what is?" He asked bewildered.

He watched as several emotions flickered across her face but was unable to decipher any of them.

She weighed the options of telling him versus keeping her thoughts to herself then opted for the former. She sighed, "You know my mother and I don't get along very well."

Sheldon was aware of some of Amy's issues with her mother. He recalled their first meeting at the coffee shop when she told him about the times she spent in the sin closet. Surely her mother did not keep up with that tradition now that Amy was a grown woman living on her own. He urged her to continue.

"All through high school, she wanted me to find a boyfriend. I was busy with my studies, which she did not approve of. Even after I graduated and moved out, she insisted I get out and date. I endured endless phone calls and visits that made my blood pressure skyrocket.

"We made a pact on my 21st birthday that I would go on a minimum of one date per year. I agreed to it only to appease her."

"Did any of those dates turn into something more?" He asked, afraid to hear the answer.

"No. They were all a waste of time. I never went on more than one date with any of those men. None of them ever held my interest, and most of them weren't too keen on me either."

"Their loss," Sheldon murmured, but Amy didn't appear to hear him.

"One time my mother set me up with her friend's son who was a resident at UCLA Medical Center. He tried to get handsy with me without even asking permission, so I... let's just say, I never heard from him again." She shuddered at the recollection.

Sheldon's body stiffened. "The nerve of him!"

"I fear that my mother will bring up the subject of dating the next time I see her, even though she promised she wouldn't interfere unless I haven't found a date by November."

"I wish there was something I could do to help," he responded sincerely.

She took in a deep breath and turned towards him in her seat. "Actually there is. I was planning on waiting until I fulfilled my obligation to you, but since you asked, here goes. Would you object to me telling my mother that we're dating?"

His eyes widened. "Are you asking me to help you lie to your mother?"

"It won't exactly be lying. We spend the majority of our spare time together and enjoy each other's company."

"But it's also not the truth."

"How about this - let's make an official date."

Sheldon raised his brows in shock. "Are you asking me out?"

"Yes."

"Isn't it customary for the man to ask the woman out?"

"Anyone can ask for a date, but I suppose it's more traditional for the man to ask."

Sheldon looked down at his hands resting in his lap. He looked back up to see Amy watching him intently.

"Sheldon, if you're uncomfortable with this, just tell me. I'll inform my mother that I'm busy on Sunday and every other day in the foreseeable future. I have plenty of time to find a date in the meantime."

"No, I can't let you do that."

"Do what? Tell my mother I'm too busy to see her?"

"Not that. The dating thing." He looked down at his lap again. "I don't feel comfortable with you finding a random guy to spend an evening with, someone whose company you don't even enjoy, just to please your mother."

"I made a pact with her. There's no other way around it."

"There is one logical solution I can think of." He raised his eyes to hers, took in a deep breath, then let it out slowly. "Amy Farrah Fowler, will you agree to a date with me?" He asked softly.

Her eyes lit up as the corners of her mouth turned up. "Yes, I would like that very much."

They smiled shyly at each other, not quite believing what just happened. After a couple of minutes, Amy put the car in reverse and backed out.

Sheldon distractedly gazed out the passenger-side window as the sites of Pasadena whirled past them. He had never been on a date before. He looked into the deep recesses of his brain and gathered all the information he had on the subject of dating from his friends and what he'd seen on TV.

When they arrived at the restaurant, Amy placed the car in park. She unbuckled her seatbelt and reached for her door handle when Sheldon placed his hand on her arm. She looked at him questioningly.

"Amy, for our date I would like to take you to dinner and a movie. Would that be acceptable?"

"I would love that. There's a new Italian place on Walnut I've been eager to try."

"Alright, Italian it is. Thursday will work well for me. We can have an early dinner and catch a 7 o'clock show since it's a work night. Is that all right with you?" He asked hopefully.

"But Thursday's pizza night."

"We can skip pizza this once."

Amy's mouth dropped open. Sheldon was willing to deviate from the Sheldonian calendar for her? She learned he had a set schedule for everything, Penny even showed her the bathroom schedule he created for 4A's occupants.

"You're absolutely sure?"

"Yes," he answered without hesitation. "A few years ago, Leonard forced me to shake things up by declaring the third Thursday of the month 'Anything Can Happen Thursday'. We've since abandoned that practice, but I will reinstate it, for this week at least."

"Thursday it is," she agreed.

"Then it's settled. If we bring a change of clothes to work, we can go directly to the restaurant."

"That sounds like a plan."

When they arrived at 4A laden with cartons of Thai food, Sheldon addressed the group. "Everyone, I have decided to reinstate 'Anything Can Happen Thursday'."

They all stared at him shell-shocked. Leonard was the first to recover. "What brought this on?"

"Amy and I have made plans for this Thursday."

"What kind of plans? What are we all doing?" Raj demanded.

"Not all of us, just me and Amy. I don't care what you people do."

Leonard and Penny were more than glad to have a Sheldon-free evening. They made plans with Howard and Bernadette to go on a double date.

"What about me? Everyone has someone except me. I'm so lonely!"

Howard felt bad for his friend. "Raj, why don't you join us?"

"And be the only person without a wife or girlfriend? No thanks. I don't want to be a fifth wheel. I guess I'll just stay home and watch TV with Cinnamon."

"What about Stuart?" Howard suggested. "I'll bet he has nothing to do on a Thursday night either."

"Good idea. I'll call him later."

That settled, the group spent the rest of the evening devouring their meals and conversing.

Amy was the first to leave. As always, Sheldon walked her to her car. The others began whispering as soon as the door shut.

"Sheldon willingly wants to try 'Anything Can Happen Thursday' again? What was that all about?" Bernadette asked.

Howard had a thought. "He and Amy have been spending an awful lot of time together. You don't think they've reached the next level in their friendship?"

"I have noticed a spring in Sheldon's step since Amy came into his life," Penny mused.

They continued discussing the possibilities. When Sheldon reappeared, Howard, Bernadette, and Raj rushed for the door claiming they were tired. Their suspicious behavior didn't even phase Sheldon. He bid then a distracted goodnight then went to bed dreaming of a certain neurobiologist.


	12. Chapter 12

Amy removed her lab coat at the end of another successful day of gathering data for her primate nicotine study. She grabbed her purse and duffle bag containing a change of clothes. Sheldon would be here soon to pick her up for their date.

She was about to head to the restroom to change when she heard a triple knock followed by her name three times in succession.

She opened the door wide to allow him entry to her lab. "Hi, Sheldon. Come in."

"Hello." He stood in the doorway donning a pale blue dress shirt and black pants, his left arm hidden behind his back, as he scanned the room until his eyes rested on his date.

"Sorry, I'm being rude. It's just that I've never been in the biology wing before." He took a step into the lab then brought his hand out from behind his back to reveal a bouquet of mixed flowers and a box of chocolates. "These are for you."

"Sheldon, they're beautiful! And truffles from Mignon!" She gushed. "I'm tempted to eat one now, but I don't want to spoil my dinner."

"I'm glad you like them. I hand picked each truffle based on your likes and dislikes. Are you ready?"

"I'll need to put these in water first," she said, as she filled a beaker with water, placed the flowers in it, then set the makeshift vase near her computer. "Do you mind hanging out here while I change? I won't be long."

"Not at all."

Amy quickly dressed in the restroom across the hall. She marveled at the fact that he hand picked each truffle. He could have gone to any big box store, but what he did was so much more special.

Meanwhile, Sheldon wandered around Amy's lab, careful not to touch anything. His eyes took in beakers, test tubes, various vials, and a microscope. Everything was meticulously placed and sparkly clean. It was one of the many things he admired about her.

Amy came up behind him few minutes later. "I'm ready," she announced.

He whirled around. Standing before him was the same Amy from a few minutes ago, only now she was dressed in a jumper instead of one of her usual skirt and cardigan ensembles and pumps in place of her orthopedic shoes.

He cleared his throat. "You look very nice."

"So do you. Your shirt color brings out the blue of your eyes."

He looked down at his shirt then back at her. "Thank you. Shall we?"

She picked up her bags and the box of truffles. Sheldon exited the lab and waited patiently while Amy turned off the light and locked the door.

They drove to the restaurant talking about their day. Amy couldn't help but notice Sheldon fidgeting out of the corner of her eye.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, just a little nervous."

"Why?" She asked softly.

"Amy, I have something to tell you. I hope you won't think less of me."

She pulled over the car when she was able then looked at him, her brow furrowed. "What is it?"

"I... I've never been on a date before. It just kind of hit me that we're doing this. I want to make sure I'm following all the dating protocols."

"Sheldon, you're doing great. It's not much different than other times we've hung out. Just be yourself." She reached over the console and squeezed his hand.

"You don't think it's strange that I'm a 36-year-old man who's just going on his first date?"

"I don't. In fact, I find it very admirable." She gave his hand another squeeze before merging back into traffic.

When they pulled up to the restaurant, Amy looked over at Sheldon to find him scrutinizing her. "Is everything alright?"

He smiled at her. "Everything's more than alright."

She smiled back then they exited the car.

After perusing the menu, Amy decided on cheese-stuffed ravioli with marinara, while Sheldon selected lasagna.

Sheldon looked at the woman seated across from him at the table for two as they waited for their meals. "What shall we talk about?" He asked.

"Usually on first dates, people discuss what they do for a living, where they're from, hobbies... We've already covered that. I do have a question for you. On our way over here, you told me you were 36, but when we met, you said you were 35. Did you have a birthday recently?"

He looked at her sheepishly. "I did."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"The same reason I haven't told anyone. I don't like celebrating my birthday."

"Why not?"

He explained how his sister and her friends tricked him into thinking Batman would make an appearance at his 6th birthday party. He waited all day to no avail. The girls all just had a laugh at his expense.

Amy have gave him a sympathetic look. "That's terrible! Sheldon, I'm so sorry you went through that. If I had been one of those girls, I would never have gone along with them."

"I wish I had known you back then. I think I would have had a lot more pleasant childhood memories."

"Me too," she murmured.

The rest of their dinner conversation was spent on lighter topics. Amy shared one of her ravioli, and Sheldon cut off a small piece of his lasagna for her to try.

"This is nice," Sheldon commented. "Ever since Bernadette announced her pregnancy, all she and Penny want to talk about is baby stuff, and Wolowitz has been insufferable with his coitus bragging. We should do this more often, just the two of us sharing a meal."

"I'd like that."

When the waiter arrived to clear their plates, he asked if they would like to see the dessert menu. They declined. Amy was stuffed and Sheldon wanted to save room for his usual theater treats - an icee, Red Vines, and a bucket of popcorn.

Amy offered to pay half, but Sheldon insisted on paying the whole bill and left a generous tip.

They returned to the car and headed towards the theater, having agreed the day before to see Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

"Would you like a bucket of popcorn or some candy?" He offered.

"Thanks, but I'm too full from dinner."

"How about a drink?"

She agreed. Snacks and refreshments in hand, they headed for the auditorium. A few people occupied the room, but they had plenty of seats to choose from. Sheldon tested various locations until he found the acoustic sweet spot.

They settled in. Amy hadn't been to a theater for a few years, so she was pleasantly surprised by the new reclining seats. She raised and lowered her recliner until she found the perfect position. Normally Sheldon kept his seat upright, but he lowered it to Amy's level. They were reclined almost as far back as the seats allowed.

They engaged in the movie trivia displayed on the screen before the previews. Amy answered all the old film questions, while Sheldon aced the science fiction portion.

Thirty minutes into the movie, Amy leaned over to whisper in his ear. "May I have a handful of popcorn?"

"When I asked you if you wanted some, you declined," he hissed.

"I didn't want a whole bucket to myself. Please?"

She saw the uncertainty in his eyes. "What if I do this?" She extracted a small bottle of hand sanitizer from her purse, squirted some on, and rubbed her hands together.

Sheldon relented. He held out the bucket while Amy reached in to grab a small handful then settled back in her seat.

A few minutes later, without taking her eyes of the screen, she reached for the popcorn again but missed her target and grabbed Sheldon's hand instead. He jumped in his seat. Blushing, she quickly retracted her hand.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I should have given you some warning. Are you okay?" She asked.

"Yes. Sorry. I just wasn't expecting that."

They both sat back, staring straight ahead. Sheldon ventured a peek at his date in the darkened room.

"Amy..."

She twisted slightly towards him, eyebrows raised. He extended his hand towards hers until his palm rested on the back of her hand. When she didn't pull away, he closed his fingers around hers. She gazed down at their interlocked grip then up into his clear blue eyes. The corners of her mouth turned up into a sweet smile. She sighed in contentment, rested her head on his shoulder, then turned her attention back to the screen.

They remained in that position for the duration of the show and through the credits. When the house lights came on, Sheldon disentangled his fingers from hers so they could stand up and stretch.

They gathered their trash and dumped it into the receptacle. With their hands free again, he reached for hers.

Raj and Stuart emerged from another auditorium into the lobby. Raj nudged his friend. "There's Sheldon and Amy."

"That's Amy? She's cute."

"Back off, Dude. She's mine when I'm no longer on the rebound."

"So they're not dating? They look awfully close."

"They're just friends; Sheldon's said so repeatedly."

"Are you sure, Raj? It looks like they're holding hands."

"Maybe Amy's not feeling well, and Sheldon has to hold her up," Raj said, grasping at straws. "They're leaving. We should follow them."

Stuart had no choice but to go along with Raj since he had no other way home. Raj followed Amy's car at a respectable distance. She parked on front of Sheldon's building, and they both exited the car. Raj parked a block away.

"I want to hear what they're saying," Raj declared.

"Isn't that kind of creepy?" Stuart asked.

Raj ignored his friend and got out, quietly closing the door behind him. He stealthily moved towards the two figures until he was close enough to listen and watch, while Stuart remained in the car and ducked down out of sight.

"I had a really nice time tonight, Sheldon. Thank you for everything," Amy murmured.

"My pleasure."

"Goodnight," she said, squeezing his hands before taking a half step back.

"Amy, wait. Isn't it customary for a date to end with a goodnight kiss?"

"I suppose if the date went well, the participants may engage in the act."

"I feel the evening went well. Would you object to a kiss?"

Amy shook her head 'no'.

"I'm going to need verbal consent."

"I don't object," she whispered.

Sheldon placed his hands on Amy's hips then tilted his head to the right and lightly pressed his lips to hers. Unsure how to proceed, her arms hung loosely at her sides. After a few moments, she raised them to rest her hands on his biceps and reciprocated.

A strangled nearby whimper caused them to jump apart.

Sheldon licked his lips then cleared his throat. "Goodnight, Amy."

"Goodnight," she echoed breathlessly.

Once Amy's car was out of sight and Sheldon had gone inside, Raj emerged from his hiding place.

"Noooooooo!" He sobbed.


	13. Chapter 13

"I called my mother over lunch to inform her that I fulfilled my dating obligation last night, but she didn't believe me," Amy told Sheldon as they climbed the three flights of stairs to 4A.

"Why not? I thought we covered all the first date customs. I presented you with flowers and candy, we had a nice dinner, went to a movie, held hands, kissed. Did you give her the details?"

"I did. That was the problem. She said I've never gone into detail about any other date before and that I sounded too animated. She accused me of making you up."

Sheldon paused on the third floor landing. "Hmmm... What if we could prove to her that I'm real? We could go on another date and document our night with some pictures for proof."

"That's actually not a bad idea, Sheldon. Do you have a selfie stick?"

"No, but I believe Penny does. I can ask to borrow it. She owes me for all the food she's eaten for free over the years."

When Sheldon opened the door to the apartment, he ushered Amy inside and tossed his keys into the bowl. They placed the Chinese food on the coffee table then took their seats on the couch.

"Where's Raj?" Sheldon asked, noting only the two couples were present.

"He's not coming," Howard replied.

"But he has to come. We brought him chow mein," Sheldon groused.

Penny picked up Raj's meal and carried it to the kitchen. "It's okay, Sheldon. We'll just put it in the fridge. I can eat it for lunch tomorrow."

"But we need a fourth. How can we play Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with only three turtles?" Sheldon sputtered.

"Sheldon, we'll just play another game. Don't you want to know why he isn't coming?" Howard asked.

Sheldon huffed. "Why would I care?"

Howard gave Sheldon and Amy a sly look. "Oh, I think you would be very interested in knowing the reason."

"Fine," Sheldon relented. "Howard, why isn't Raj coming tonight?"

Howard stood up and slowly laid eyes on each member of their group one at a time.

"Come on, Howard. Just spit it out already," Leonard pleaded.

Howard cleared his throat. "Raj is upset."

Sheldon snorted. "That's nothing new. He's been sulking ever since his breakup."

"You didn't let me finish. He was out with Stuart at the movies last night, and they saw you and Amy there."

Sheldon's brow furrowed. "Why would that upset him? I told everyone the two of us had plans. It's not like all of us went and excluded him."

"He saw the two of you holding hands, but that's not all."

Everyone leaned forward in their seats as Howard paused for dramatic effect.

"He saw you kissing!"

Penny's fork clattered to the floor. "What?!" Leonard, Penny, and Bernadette exclaimed in unison as Sheldon and Amy looked at each other, mouths agape.

Bernadette turned to her husband. "Howie, why didn't you tell me this earlier?"

"I wanted to see everyone's reactions all at once. It was so worth it!"

Sheldon turned to Amy. "He must have followed us here. How did we not see him?"

"That sound we heard... I thought it was a wounded animal. Was that Rajesh?"

"Oh, dear Lord! I thought I detected the hint of an Indian accent."

Amy shivered. "Why would he do that? I thought it was creepy when he wanted to spend Valentine's Day with me without knowing anything about me, but this is disturbing."

Sheldon wrapped his arm around her shoulders protectively.

"Wait, so you didn't kiss at the theater?" Howard asked.

Sheldon and Amy shook their heads 'no'.

"And where was Stuart through all this? Was he spying on us, too?" Sheldon asked.

"Beats me. Raj was too busy ranting about how even Sheldon Cooper has a girlfriend and he doesn't."

Leonard intercepted before Sheldon could even begin the whole 'Amy's a girl who's my friend' spiel. "Amy, I hope this doesn't scare you off from coming over here. Howard and I will have a talk with him."

"Raj hasn't snuck around before, at least that we know of, but he did have a thing for me a few years ago when Leonard was dating his sister," Penny supplied.

"Yeah. Raj also had inappropriate thoughts about me right before Howie and I got engaged. He cried when Howie proposed. At first I thought he was crying tears of joy that his best friend was getting married. I found out later that he was heartbroken over the 'loss' of me."

Penny patted Amy's hand. "I'm sure his obsession with you will pass once he finds a new girlfriend."

Amy was skeptical. "I sure hope so."

After the food was eaten and everyone pitched in to help clean up, Sheldon set up the NES, while the girls proceeded across hall. Penny offered them sparkling cider in wine glasses for a fetus-friendly evening.

Amy sat in Penny's armchair while her companions took the couch.

Penny faced the brunette neurobiologist. "Spill! We want details."

"About last night?" Amy asked. "Sheldon and I went to dinner. I had the ravioli; he had..."

Penny shook her head in the negative. "Not those details. We want to hear about the kiss. Who initiated it? How long did it last? Where did he place his hands? Did you like it?"

Amy's eyes widened. She took a sip of cider while she decided how much information she wished to divulge. "He initiated it. I don't know how long it lasted. His hands were on my hips. I thought it was pleasant."

Bernadette narrowed her eyes. "Pleasant? That's it? He didn't rock your world?"

Amy blushed. "Okay, it was more than pleasant."

The two blondes shared a look then squealed and stomped their feet in fangirl style.

After the girls calmed down, Penny smiled at her new friend. "Look at you working it under all those layers of wool and polyester."

Amy hid behind her wine glass.

Bernadette spoke up. "I'm sorry if we're making you uncomfortable. We just can't believe the Sheldon who kissed you is the same Sheldon who has never shown the slightest interest in any woman."

"Sheldon's not interested in me that way. We're just friends."

"Yeah, friends with benefits," Penny smirked.

"No, it's not like that. There's a reason for the kiss." She told them about her pact with her mother and how Sheldon agreed to help her.

"He told me he hoped he was following all the dating protocols. You know what a stickler to rules he is. He held my hand and kissed me because he felt he had to."

Penny disagreed. "I see the way he looks at you. It's the same look Leonard gave me when we first met. Plus he walks you to your car and doesn't flinch when you touch him. That's not something he's ever done for anyone. Sheldon is smitten with you, believe me."

"You really think so?" Amy asked, sounding unconvinced.

Penny nodded. "I do. The question is, how do you feel about him?"

"I like him a lot. I enjoy spending time with him. He's lanky, he's brilliant, he has the most beautiful eyes..." Amy covered her mouth with her hands as realization set in.

"I think someone's falling for a certain theoretical physicist," Bernadette said in a singsong voice.

The girls jumped at the sound of a triple knock followed by Sheldon shouting, , "Amy, Penny, Bernadette" three times in succession.

Penny opened the door. Sheldon pushed past her and ambled over to Amy.

Penny gave him a dirty look. "Hello to you too, Sheldon. We were having girl talk."

Sheldon ignored her and spoke to Amy. "We tried playing the game, but seeing just three turtles was disconcerting. Amy, will you be our fourth? I'll even let you be Raphael."

Amy hesitated.

"Please, Amy!"

"I don't have much experience with video games."

"That's okay. I'll help you get started."

Amy turned to her female companions as she followed Sheldon to the door. "Raincheck?"

Amy took her seat next to Sheldon. He proceeded to give her a summary of the game then scooted closer to her to explain each button's function.

"You'll want to press 'A' to jump, 'B' allows you to use your weapon, 'C' toggles between your given weapon and one you pick up. The 'D' button, the one that looks like a cross, is your directional button. Press right to go right, left to go left, etc."

"Sounds easy enough," she said.

Sheldon reset the game. The guys maneuvered their characters with ease. Amy attempted to jump Raphael to a platform to catch up with the group but repeatedly missed her mark. Sheldon set his controller on his lap and wrapped his arms around her, placing his hands on hers. He exerted just enough pressure on the finger holding the 'A' button to jump her turtle to the platform.

"The longer you hold down the button, the higher he'll jump," he explained.

By the end of the evening, Amy's skill level had increased. She battled the creatures with the guys and cheered along with them when they succeeded.

After Howard and Bernadette left, Sheldon walked Amy to her car. "I'm sorry about Raj. I don't know what's gotten into him. And I'm sorry you had to endure the girls' baby talk before I came to rescue you."

"They weren't talking about the baby. They were interrogating me about our date. Did the guys question you too?"

"They did. They wanted a play-by-play of our kiss."

"What did you tell them?"

"The truth. They asked who initiated it, if I knew what I was doing, and if you liked it. I wasn't sure how to answer that last one. From what I could tell, you did."

"I did," she confirmed, softly. "I told the girls it was pleasant, but that word just doesn't do it justice. I can't even describe what I was feeling. All I know is that everything else just seemed to melt away."

"We'll have another date night next Thursday. Maybe you'll be able to describe it better the second time around."

She stood on her tiptoes and pecked his cheek. "Goodnight, Sheldon. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"Goodnight, Amy."

 **A/N: I'd like to thank each and every one of you once again for the likes, follows, and reviews. I'll be out of town for a week and will not have access to a computer, so there will be no new updates during that time.**

 **The next chapter will feature another date!**


	14. Chapter 14

Sheldon and Amy left work early on Thursday in the hopes of beating rush hour traffic.

"I can't believe you've lived in the area your whole life and have never seen the Queen Mary," Sheldon said in disbelief, as they made the drive to Long Beach.

"My mother never took me, and I had no one else to go with."

"Well, little lady, you're about to find out what you've been missing out on."

"I take it you've been there before?"

"I have. The guys and I went there eight years ago when Leonard was trying to get out of seeing Penny perform in a one-night showcase of Rent." At Amy's confused look he added, "I'll tell you about it later if you promise not to tell Penny."

When they arrived, Sheldon removed a selfie stick from his messenger bag. "I thought we could take some pictures of us with the ship in the background before we go in. It will probably be too dark after dinner."

They attached Amy's phone to the stick then stood side by side as Sheldon guided it to find the perfect angle so the ship was visible in the shot. He wrapped his free arm around her waist.

They took several pictures with different variations on their pose. Amy slung an arm around Sheldon's neck. In another pose they stood facing one another as they gazed into each other's eyes.

"I hope the camera's still on us," Sheldon said, as he struggled to keep it steady.

"I can take a photo of you two," a young woman offered.

Amy gave her consent to use her phone. "That would be wonderful. Thank you so much."

She and Sheldon resumed their pose. They tried a few additional poses, including one of Amy pulling Sheldon's head down to kiss his cheek. Amy thanked the kind stranger for her help.

"You're welcome. You two make such a cute couple. Are you newly weds?"

The two scientists looked at each other quizzically, then Amy spoke up. "No, why do you ask?"

"You just seem so happy together. I wish someone would look at me the way he looks at you. I'd better run. I hope I captured what you were looking for in the pictures."

They thanked her again then browsed the pictures documenting their date so far. Each picture revealed two sets of sparkling eyes and radiant smiles.

They headed into the ship hand in hand. Sheldon had booked the Glory Days Historical Tour at 5:15 and made dinner reservations at Sir Winston's, the ship's 5-star restaurant, for 6:30, but first they checked out the new 4-D theater. They chose to see Planet Earth: Shallows Seas.

Amy delighted in the motion of her chair. She grabbed Sheldon's hand when she lurched forward and shrieked when a fine mist of water sprayed her face. Sheldon chuckled at her antics.

"Are you enjoying yourself so far?" He asked as the show came to an end.

"That was really fun. I'm tempted to stay for the Spongebob show too."

"We can come back after dinner if there's time. The tour's starting soon." He reached for her hand and pulled her out of her seat.

They met their tour guide in the public exhibit area where she gave their group some history about the Queen Mary before escorting them to parts of the ship that are off limits to the general public.

Sheldon began spouting off facts about the ship. Soon some of the members in their group were hanging on his every word, while their guide tried to bring everyone's attention back to her. Amy gave her an apologetic smile. She gently tugged on her date's shirtsleeve to get his attention.

"Can you please excuse us?" She asked the group.

She led him a few steps away. "Later you can take me on a self-guided tour and tell me everything you know about the ship," she whispered, as she squeezed his hand and smiled.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly. "I just wanted to be sure you didn't miss out on all the information," he said. They continued the tour with no further incidents.

One hour later the group returned to the public area. Sheldon placed his hand on the small of Amy's back and guided her up the stairs to Sir Winston's.

When Amy entered the restaurant, her jaw dropped as her eyes soaked in the elegant decor. "Sheldon, this is beautiful!"

"It is, isn't it," he agreed.

The hostess directed them to a table for two next to a window that overlooked the water and the city beyond. Their waiter came by a few moments later with ice water in wine goblets. "Would you care to see the drink menu?"

Sheldon looked at Amy. She shook her head no. "Water is fine with me."

The waiter left them to peruse the menu. Amy's eyes bugged out at the prices. "Sheldon, everything's so expensive," she murmured.

"Don't worry about the cost. You can choose whatever you'd like. Money doesn't mean a lot to me. I earn enough to pay my rent and utilities and to purchase food, comic books, and the occasional super hero figurine. I have some funds in savings bonds and a 401K. Everything else sits untouched."

They placed their order, then Sheldon withdrew the selfie stick from his bag once again. He moved his chair closer to hers and placed his arm around her shoulders. They took a few more pictures before he moved his chair back so they were once again seated across from each other. They sipped water and discussed the events of the day.

When the waiter returned with their meals, he topped off their water. They asked if he could take a picture of them making a toast.

Sheldon raised his glass. "To second dates."

Amy followed his lead and gently clinked her glass to his. "To second dates."

"I've seen on TV where they do this thing with intertwined arms while holding wine glasses," Sheldon said.

They tried it but ended up tangling their arms and spilling water everywhere, causing them to laugh hysterically. The waiter snapped a couple of shots.

"I guess we should have tried that when our glasses weren't so full," Amy giggled. She dabbed at her jumper with her napkin as Sheldon did the same to his dress shirt and pants.

After dinner they returned to the 4-D theater for the 7-minute Spongebob show then explored the ship on their own. Sheldon pointed out various artifacts and objects, including the 1/40 scale Lego model of the ship, before heading upstairs to wander the decks.

He steered Amy towards the railing facing the Long Beach lighthouse. The sun had set, giving them a view of the city's lights. His arms encircled her from behind. She leaned into him, and he placed a kiss on top of her head.

"It's so peaceful. I wish we could stay here all night," she sighed.

"The evening's not over yet." He carefully spun her around to face him. They gazed deeply into each other's eyes as he slowly lowered his head until their lips met. She snaked her arms around his neck as he enfolded her in his arms, pressing his body against hers.

When they finally came up for air, Sheldon licked his lips.

"That was nice," Amy said breathlessly.

"Good," he replied, smiling down at her shyly.

They stood in the same position for several minutes before once again turning towards the water. They eventually stepped away from the railing and walked down the stairs. She fit her hand in his as they disembarked the ship.

On the drive back to Pasadena, they reflected on the evening.

"I would have loved to see the Queen Mary when she made her maiden voyage in 1936," Amy said dreamily.

"But then you'd be really old... or dead."

"Sheldon!"

"If you were old, we wouldn't be here together right now. It would be like taking my Meemaw out on a date."

"I didn't mean it literally. I just think it would have been fascinating to see the passengers dressed in their best attire - the women in formal dresses and the men in suits and hats."

"Had we dressed more formally, it wouldn't have been very comfortable," he pointed out, "but I could have worn my Dr. Who fedora. That would go well with the clothing from that time period."

When they pulled up in front of Sheldon's apartment, he twisted in his seat to face her. "I know we already had our goodnight kiss on the ship, but isn't it customary to end the date with a kiss?"

"We can't break custom; that would be deplorable."

He looked around to make sure no one was watching then leaned over the console and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. She cradled his face in her hands as she reciprocated.

He reluctantly pulled back, "It's getting late. I don't want you to be exhausted at work tomorrow. I had a wonderful time tonight."

"Better than the time you went with the guys?" She teased.

"A lot better."

"I had a wonderful time, too," she sighed happily. "Thank you for another lovely evening. I'll see you tomorrow for Chinese food and vintage video game night. Night, Sheldon."

"Goodnight, Amy Farrah Fowler."


	15. Chapter 15

The next day Amy heard Sheldon's signature knock at her lab door. "Come in, Sheldon," she said in a strained voice.

He turned the knob and entered. "I came by to see if you wanted to join me and the guys for lunch in the cafeteria."

As he stepped closer to her, he noted she was seated at her desk, eyes downcast. He touched her arm, and she let out a muffled sob.

"Amy, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

She silently handed him her phone. He read through an email from her mother. "Why would your mother think you Photoshopped me in the pictures?" He bent down to her eye level, but she continued to look downward. "Look at me," he commanded softly.

She slowly raised her head to reveal red rimmed eyes. A single tear rolled down her cheek.

"Don't cry," he pleaded.

She sniffled. "Why doesn't she believe me? Why am I such a disappointment to her? You know what? I'm done with her. If she doesn't believe me, that's her problem. I had such a good time last night. I won't let her negativity ruin it."

"Is there anything I can do to cheer you up?"

She removed her glasses and swiped at her eyes with her index fingers. "I just want to forget about this right now. Do you mind if just the two of us go to lunch?"

Sheldon texted Leonard to inform him of his plans with Amy. They went through the cafeteria line then found a table in a far corner where they could have some privacy.

"Would it help if I met your mother so she can see for herself that I exist?"

"My mother is very intimidating. We'd probably want to meet her in a public place so we could make a quick getaway if needed."

"How about if we Skype her first? If she's still skeptical, I can meet her in person."

Amy agreed. She suggested waiting a few days to cool off so she didn't tell her mother something she'd regret. They decided to make Thursday another date night. Sheldon would take the bus to her apartment where they would have dinner, then they'd Skype her mother.

"Is there anything in particular I should make?"

Sheldon's mouth watered at the thought of another one of Amy's home cooked meals. "My favorite dish is spaghetti with cut up hotdogs. I also love strawberry Quik, the kind made with the powder not the syrup."

"You got it."

xxx

Amy answered her door on Thursday sporting an apron over her date night jumper. "Come in and make yourself comfortable. Dinner is almost ready."

Sheldon stepped in and inhaled the aroma coming from the kitchen then removed a brown box with a gold ribbon from his bag. "I brought you a little something."

"Truffles again! Sheldon, you're spoiling me!"

"I thought it was only fair that I brought you a gift as you're going to all this trouble," he said, gesturing towards the kitchen.

He sat at the small dining room table and watched Amy as she attempted to retrieve a casserole dish from a high shelf. He got up to stand next to her. "Allow me." He reached around her and pulled the dish down with ease.

She placed the spaghetti and sauce in the dish then topped it with the hotdog pieces. "I've never made this before. I hope I did it right."

Amy set the piping hot food on the table along with the pink beverage Sheldon had requested. He dug in and began making appreciative noises. "This is delicious! I would never have guessed it was your first time."

"You can tell me if it's horrible. I'll understand."

"No, really. It's very good. Sheldon Cooper never lies. I would let you know if it was subpar."

After the leftovers were put away and the dishes cleared, Amy gave Sheldon a tour of the rest of her apartment.

"And now for the grand tour. You've already seen the kitchen and living room. I present to you the bathroom, and over here is the bedroom."

He poked his head into each room and closed his eyes, committing each detail to memory. "What would you like to do now?" He asked.

"I downloaded an app on my phone called Table Topics. It generates random conversation starter questions. One person asks the question that pops up on the screen while the other answers. Does that sound okay?"

"I'm willing to try it."

"Great. Let's make a couple of rules. 1) We have to ask every question that comes up, no matter how ridiculous it is.  
2) We have to answer each question honestly and explain our answer or expand on it."

"Agreed."

They took their seats on the couch, facing each other. She grabbed her phone and opened the app then tucked her feet underneath her. "I'll start. If you could be reborn into any animal, what would it be?"

"Hmmm... I'd have to go with a koala. They're so cute that they can get away with anything, and I've never heard of anyone hunting koala."

"They are pretty cute and cuddly. Good choice."

Sheldon took the phone. "My turn. What's your most prized possession?"

"That would have to be my harp. My grandma gave it to me for my 12th birthday. She died three months later."

"I'm sorry you lost your Meemaw at such a young age. I lost my Pop Pop when I was five. He was the only person in my family who approved of my interest in the sciences."

They shared stories of their grandparents before moving on to the next question.

"Plane, train, or automobile?" She asked.

"That's an easy one. Definitely train. I told you about my love of trains the first day we met."

He hesitated before asking the next question.

"What's wrong, Dr. Cooper? Cat got your tongue?"

"First kiss?"

She looked him straight in the eye. "You."

"Really? But you've gone on numerous dates before me."

"I have, but I only went out with those men because of the pact."

"You and I went out because of the pact," he pointed out.

"That was different. We knew each other beforehand. When you asked if I was okay with you kissing me on our first date, I agreed because it just felt right. I feel comfortable with you," she admitted.

They went through a few more rounds of questions. On Amy's turn, she pressed the 'Ask me anything' button to bring up the next question then stared at the screen but said nothing.

"Remember you have to ask the question no matter how ridiculous it is." He reminded her. "It can't be that bad. What does it say?"

She mumbled something incoherently, avoiding his gaze.

"Give me that." Sheldon tried to wrestle the phone from her. She held it high above her head, but his arms were much longer. Just as his fingers brushed the phone, she quickly dropped her hand and shoved the phone between the couch cushions.

He lunged at her. She squealed as the fingers of his left hand made contact with her ribs and began tickling her. His right hand dug around between the cushions.

She squirmed and giggled as he continued to torment her until his opposite hand lifted the phone up triumphantly. He read the screen then turned ten shades of red and slowly lifted himself off her, realizing what position they were in.

Amy caught her breath and straightened her jumper. "Now that you've seen the question, you have to answer."

"I... Wait, the rule is that you have to ask the question. Are you chicken, Dr. Fowler?"

She sat up straight and squared her shoulders, rising up to the challenge. "Do you sleep in the nude?"

"No," he answered simply.

"Don't forget the second rule. You have to expand on your answer. One word is not sufficient. Do you wear pajamas? Boxers? Briefs?" She asked, bravely.

"Pajamas."

"Top and bottoms?"

"Both, except when I'm sick. My mom would apply Vaporub to my chest. I would only wear bottoms then so my shirt wouldn't get sticky."

"Your mother sounds wonderful." Amy sighed. "Speaking of mothers, I guess we should give mine a call."

Amy stood up and brought her laptop over to the couch. "Ready?" She asked him, her voice shaky.

He squeezed her hand. "It's okay. If she gives you any grief, we can hang up, okay?"

She gave him a small smile. "Okay."

He reached for her hand again and placed it on his knee, covering it with his own.

She angled the laptop to face only her. "I'll move it to include you soon," she promised.

Her mother answered moments after Amy placed the call. "Amy, I'm surprised to hear from you so soon after that prank you tried to pull on me last week."

"Hello to you too, Mother. It was not a prank. Those pictures were not doctored in any way. In fact, I have someone here I want you to meet." She turned the computer so Sheldon appeared with her on the screen.

"Mother, this is Sheldon."

"Hello, Mrs. Fowler. It's nice to meet you."

"Amy, you brought a man into your home! Please tell me you haven't shown him your bedroom."

"Of course she showed me her bedroom. What kind of a tour would it be if I didn't see the whole apartment?"

"Oh, so now you believe that he's real?"

Mrs. Fowler narrowed her eyes. "What are your intentions with my daughter, young man?"

"Amy told me about your pact. We went out to honor her end of the deal."

Mrs. Fowler pursed her lips. "So you're not sleeping together?"

Sheldon looked taken aback.

"Mother!"

Mrs. Fowler gave the man sitting next to her daughter the once over. "I'll take that as a no."

"So do you believe me now?"

Her mother said nothing for the longest time. Amy was about to hang up when she mother finally spoke. "I apologize for not believing you. I will consider your obligation complete this year."

She breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Mother."

They says their goodbyes then ended the call. Amy turned to Sheldon. "We did it! Thank you for all your help." She leaned over to fling her arms around him and kissed his cheek.

"You are most welcome." He looked at his watch. I'd better get going if I want to make the next bus."

She walked him to the door. "Goodnight, Sheldon."

"As this is a date, I believe a goodnight kiss is in order."

Their lips made contact. He pulled her closer as she caressed his back.

"Goodnight, Amy," he said breathlessly then turned to leave.

"Sheldon, wait!"

He turned back toward her. She grabbed her keys. "I'll drive you home."

When they arrived at 2311 North Los Robles Avenue, Amy parked the car and gazed over at the man seated next to her. He gazed back silently. They remained in that position a few minutes before she spoke.

"I know we had our goodnight kiss earlier tonight, but isn't it customary to end the date with a kiss?" She paraphrased him from a week earlier.

She unbuckled her seatbelt and scooted over as far as she could to him. He followed suit. Suddenly her lips were on his, and her hands were running through his hair. He mimicked her actions, threading his fingers through her chocolate-colored locks.

When they stopped to catch their breath, he touched his forehead to hers. "I really should get going. I'm glad I was able to help you fulfill your obligation to your mother. Don't forget we still have another four weeks left of our contract. See you tomorrow."

"Yes, see you tomorrow," she repeated. She waited until he entered his building before pulling away from the curb.


	16. Chapter 16

The following Wednesday, the guys were sifting through the new releases at the comic book store.

"Leonard, are you and the Mrs. available for dinner tomorrow night?" Howard asked.

Sheldon's hands stilled. "But tomorrow's Thursday; Thursday is pizza night."

Leonard looked up at his best friend and roommate. "Aren't you going out with Amy tomorrow?"

"No, Leonard. Amy and I convinced her mother that I am, in fact, real. She has fulfilled her dating obligation for the year. We will resume pizza night, as per our contract," he stated matter of factly.

Raj perked up. "So Amy's available?"

Sheldon gave his friend an icy glare. "Koothrapalli, we've been over this already. She is not for you!"

"But you're not dating her anymore."

"Raj, you may not be on the rebound anymore, but now she is," Howard said.

Sheldon directed his glare at Howard.

"What? I was only trying to help."

Leonard intercepted. "Okay you guys, calm down. No one's dating Amy."

xxx

The next two weeks went by in a blur. Amy continued to chauffeur Sheldon, joined him for meals, and filmed Fun With Flags, per their agreement. They still sat next to each other on the couch, their shoulders and hips touching, but there were no official dates and, therefore, no more hand holding or kissing.

Two weeks after their last date, Sheldon sat down to watch Dr. Who with a bowl of cereal on a Saturday morning. His eyes were still on the TV two hours later staring blankly at the screen.

"Something got you down there, Sheldon?"

He startled at the sound of Penny's voice. "I'm fine."

Her face was etched with concern. "Are you sure? Because I've been watching you for the last 15 minutes, and you didn't even notice I was here."

He stared off into the distance. "I said I'm fine. I just have a lot on my mind."

She took a seat on the couch arm next to him. "Let me guess. Is it Amy?"

He looked at her in surprise. "How did you know?"

"Sweetie, you haven't been yourself ever since your last date. You like her a lot, don't you?"

"I'm very fond of Amy."

"So what's the problem?"

"She only spends time with me because of our contract, and it expires in two weeks."

"Sweetie, that is not the only reason she spends time with you. You went out on dates. That was not part of your contract."

"As you know, Amy made a pact with her mother to date once a year. We dated so she could fulfill her obligation."

"Do you honestly think that's the only reason she went out with you? If it was as simple as needing a date, she could have agreed to a night of star gazing with Raj when he asked her. That girl is crazy about you. God knows why," she added under her breath.

"Did she tell you that?"

"Not in as many words, but trust me, she is. And you are just as crazy about her. You could have just taken her out to dinner, but you kissed her. It still blows my mind that it happened." She shook her head in wonder.

"We kissed because social convention dictates..."

"Blah, blah, blah social convention. Maybe that's what prompted you to kiss her, but you continued kissing her because you liked it. Admit it, Sheldon. I'm right, aren't I?"

He sidestepped her question. "I should have written the contract to last a full year," he said glumly.

"Sweetie, even you know that's not normal."

He ignored her comment. "Penny, may I ask you something?"

"Sure, ask away."

"I fear that once our contract ends, I'll never see her again. How can I make sure she doesn't leave me?"

Penny threw her hands up in frustration. "Sheldon, look at me. Amy is not going anywhere. You don't need a contract or a pact to keep her in your life. Trust me."

Leonard entered the living room in his bathrobe. "What's going on out here?"

"I'm trying to convince Dr. Wackadoodle that his relationship with Amy won't end when their contract is up."

"Buddy, I'm with Penny on this one. Why don't you invite her over to do something that's not written in your contract? Then you'll have proof that she's coming to see you because she wants to, not because she has to."

"That's actually not a bad idea, Leonard. Amy will be here soon to pick me up for our weekly grocery trip. I'll ask her then." He checked his watch then suddenly shot up from his seat. "I only have ten minutes to get ready."

When Amy arrived a few minutes later, Leonard answered the door as Sheldon was in the shower.

"Hi Amy. Sheldon's running a bit behind this morning."

"Is he okay?" She asked. "It's not like him to be late."

Leonard stepped into the hall with Penny at his side, shutting the door quietly behind them. "He's just having a rough morning."

Penny squeezed the brunette's arm. "He'll be fine, but are you okay? You haven't seemed yourself for a couple of weeks."

Amy hesitated. "Penny, could I talk to you privately?"

"Of course. Leonard, if Sheldon's ready before we get back, can you stall him?" His wife asked sweetly.

Leonard obliged as the two women proceeded across the hall.

Penny led Amy to the couch. She waited patiently for her to start. When she made no move, Penny spoke up. "What's up?"

Amy shifted in her seat, "I'm just going to come out and say it. I don't know what happened between me and Sheldon. He's been somewhat distant with me ever since our last date. Don't get me wrong. It seems like he still enjoys spending time with me, but he's reverted back to being my friend instead of more than a friend, if you get my drift."

"I get it. You really like him, don't you? And I don't mean platonically but _like_ him like him."

Amy averted her gaze. "Yes," she whispered.

"I knew it!" Penny exclaimed.

Amy spun her head around at the other woman's outburst. "Maybe he thinks I was being too forward on our last date, and it scared him. I initiated our last kiss, but he seemed really into it. I just don't know what to believe."

"Amy, I've known Sheldon a long time. Sheldon is... how should I put this... different. Who's to say what's going on in that big ol' brain of his. But I do know this - he likes you a lot. Please don't give up on him."

"I wasn't planning on it. I just wish I knew how to bring up the subject without making either of us uncomfortable."

Penny lowered her voice even though they were alone. "I'm going to tell you something but you have to swear to me you won't tell Sheldon."

"What is it?"

"He's worried he'll never see you again once your contract expires."

"Really? Did he tell you that?"

"He did."

"I don't understand. I thought I made my feelings clear. What do you suggest I do?"

Penny patted her hand. "Just be there for him. Hopefully he'll figure it out for himself. I wish I had better advice for you."

"Thanks, Penny. I guess I just need to be patient."

They vacated the apartment just as Sheldon entered the hall, his hair damp and ruffled. Amy's hands twitched at her sides longing to reach out and touch it. "Are you ready, Sheldon?" She asked.

"Yes. I was about to come looking for you. Leonard tried to keep me from leaving the apartment, but I was too quick for his tiny legs. Is everything alright?"

"Yes."

"Good." He grabbed his keys from the bowl. "Shall we?"


	17. Chapter 17

After dropping off the groceries at their respective homes, Sheldon and Amy drove to the Lego store at the Glendale Galleria, as they had every Saturday for the past ten weeks.

The employees had become quite familiar with the pair's habits. Every week they would ask if they could be of assistance, even though the answer was always, "We're just looking." However, this time Sheldon surprised them all, including Amy.

"I would like to purchase the Ghostbusters firehouse headquarters," he announced.

The salesperson set one aside while they continued browsing.

"I've contemplated buying that set for weeks," he confessed to Amy. "Leonard's going to be so jealous."

Next they headed for the build your own minifigure station. As per tradition, they attempted to outdo each other by seeing who could come up with the most unique combinations.

Sheldon surprised Amy again. He selected three of her creations and placed them in a minifigure 3-pack bubble.

"I'd like to buy these for myself, if you don't mind. Feel free to choose three of mine if you wish. My treat."

Amy examined the multiple figures Sheldon created. He had really let his imagination run wild with some of them, but two in particular caught her eye. Standing off to one side was a figure wearing a skirt with long dark hair and glasses holding a microscope. Next to it was a figure with short dark hair wearing a red shirt and holding a comic book. She selected the two then chose one of the more wild creations to complete her pack.

Back at the car, their purchases stowed in the backseat, Amy was about to buckle her seatbelt when Sheldon placed his hand on her arm. "I could use some help putting the Ghostbusters set together. Are you free tonight?"

She hesitated.

"I know it's not part of the contract. I'm sorry for suggesting it."

"It's not that. That actually sounds fun, but tonight's my only chance to do laundry before I return to work on Monday."

"Why don't you bring your laundry to my place? I'm the only person who ever uses the machines on Saturday night. We'll have the whole laundry room to ourselves."

"Okay," she consented.

"Leonard and Penny are going out with the Wolowitz's for dinner, so we'll also have free rein of the apartment."

She gave him a shy smile. "I look forward to it."

They stopped at her apartment where she made them a quick lunch of grilled cheese sandwiches and canned tomato soup, then gathered her laundry and headed to Sheldon's.

xxx

"Would you like a cup of tea before we get started?"

Amy joined him at the island. "I'll have a lemon zinger, please.

"Excellent choice. I will have one as well."

"So, what are your plans for my minifigure creations?" She asked as they waited for the water to boil.

He extracted the figures from their packaging and placed them on his desk next to his Golum figure. "Now I'll be able to look at them whenever I'm at my computer. What do you plan to do with mine?"

"I think I'll display them on my nightstand so they're the last thing I see before I go to bed and the first thing I see when I wake up."

After tea, they cleared off the coffee table to make way for their project. Sheldon slit the box open carefully with a utility knife. He pulled each numbered bag of pieces out one by one and sorted the numbers in piles then examined the instruction booklet.

Amy picked up a bag with a '2' on it. "I see a minifigure in here!"

Sheldon gently grabbed her wrist. "Woah, woah, woah. We can't just go opening packages willy nilly. We need to follow the directions. The first thing we need to do is put together the foundation. Can you pass me the large base plate?"

She reluctantly set the bag down and reached for the base plate. She handed it to Sheldon then located the next piece. They worked together for the next 30 minutes to complete the foundation of the firehouse.

"This is really fun. I've never put together a Lego set before."

"Never?! I've completed many sets over the years. I'd show them to you if they weren't in storage."

At 8:15 he collected his soiled clothing then led the way to the laundry room.

"In my haste to ensure I had all my laundry, I forgot to bring any detergent," she admitted.

"Not to worry. I have more than enough for the two of us."

Sheldon carefully measured the liquid and poured it into Amy's machine then did the same with his own.

Back in the apartment, he set the timer on his watch to remind them when to check on their clothes then resumed reading the Lego instructions. They set to work again until the timer went off, signaling the end of the wash cycle.

"I think we're off to a good start," he said on the way back from the laundry room.

"This is the most fun I've had on a Saturday night in a long time. Maybe even ever."

"Me too. I'd much rather build Legos with you than Leonard."

They took their seats once more while Sheldon set the timer again.

Amy twirled the Winston Zeddemore figure between her thumb and index finger. "I have to ask. Out of all the Lego sets we saw at the store, what made you choose this one?"

"The original Ghostbusters movie from 1984 is one of my all-time favorites. I've watched it 11 times - 5 times on VHS, 4 times on DVD, and twice on Blu-ray."

"I saw it once, and that was years ago. I don't remember much about it."

Sheldon's jaw dropped. "Seriously? Before we go any further, you should watch it again so you can appreciate this more."

He went to the kitchen and removed a popcorn popper.

She followed him over to the island. "Wait, we're actually doing this right now?"

"Yes. You'll appreciate our efforts more when you know who all the characters are."

They settled back on the couch side by side with a huge bowl of popcorn in front of them. Halfway through the movie, the timer rang.

Sheldon sighed. "I'm beginning to wish we had waited to start the movie after the laundry was done."

He excused himself to retrieve his shirt folding board.

"I've never tried one of those. Do they really work?"

He extracted his clothes from the dryer. "Watch this!"

She observed as he centered a t-shirt on the board and expertly flipped the panels until it was perfectly folded.

"That's amazing! Can I try it?"

"Of course."

She lay one of her blouses on it then looked at him questioningly. "What do I do first?"

"First you'll fold the bottom of your blouse up until it's even with the bottom of the board."

She followed his direction then flipped the right panel while he made a disapproving sound.

"What's wrong?"

"The left panel should be folded first. Let me help." He stood behind her then placed his hands on hers as he guided them to flip each panel in the correct order.

They folded two more shirts together, then he stood next to her and watched her fold two more. "You're getting better. Don't worry about speed yet. That will come once you have the technique down."

"I feel like I'm holding you up. I think I'll go back to the old-fashioned way so you can finish your shirts."

Sheldon quickly folded his remaining shirts then folded his socks as well. He looked over at his companion sorting through her clothing pile. "Amy, I don't remember ever seeing you wear anything in leopard print before, and I remember everything."

She quickly shoved the item in question under a cardigan. "That's because you haven't."

"Why are you hiding it?"

"The same reason you were appalled when I saw _your_ underwear."

Sheldon stammered, "Oh. I... I thought maybe it was a shirt or something."

They both looked away and focused their eyes on their own tasks. When all the neatly folded clothing was placed in their laundry baskets, with the unmentionables tucked out of view, they silently climbed the stairs up to 4A.

They returned to their respective spots on the couch, avoiding eye contact. Sheldon resumed play on the movie. Ten minutes later, Amy gingerly rested her head on his shoulder. When he didn't pull away, she snuggled closer to him, and he placed his arm around her shoulders. They sat quietly through the rest of the movie.

As the credits rolled, she finally looked at him. "Sheldon, remember earlier when you said coming over tonight wasn't part of our contract and you were sorry for suggesting it?"

"Of course I do. I remember everything. I remember what I ate for lunch on May 24, 2010..."

She lay her hand on his arm. "That was bad wording on my part. What I meant to say was we don't need a contract to tell us to spend time together."

"Really?"

"Really. What gave you the impression that I wouldn't come here if I wasn't obligated?"

He looked down at his lap. "I was worried that you were just humoring me."

"Sheldon, look at me. When you first showed me the contract and I read that my obligation would last 12 weeks, I was flabbergasted. I thought after a few days of chauffeuring you around was more than sufficient."

Had it been anyone else who presented me with those terms, I never would have signed, but I did because I really like you. You've become an integral part of my life. When my obligation has been fulfilled, I'm not going anywhere."

"I really like you, too."

They smiled at each other then started cleaning up.

"We still have a lot of work left on this set. Are you free again next Saturday?" He asked.

"I am."

"Good. I'll hide this in my room so Leonard doesn't find it and play with it."

A hour after Amy left, the Hofstadters returned home.

"You're home kind of late," Sheldon accused them.

"Sorry, if we worried you, Sheldon," Leonard apologized. "We played some couples games then got to talking about married life."

"When Bernadette brought out their wedding album, it made us realize just how rushed our wedding was. We have the online video of our ceremony but no pictures, and our friends and families weren't there," Penny said wistfully.

"So we decided to get married again," Leonard finished.

Sheldon furrowed his brow. "Get married again? How is that possible?"

"We'll renew our vows and have a small reception for close friends and family. We're thinking of doing it two weeks from today on the rooftop," Penny explained. "Leonard's mother will be in town, and my brother just got out of prison due to overcrowding, so the timing is perfect. Make sure you invite Amy."

"Of course I'll invite Amy. It's in our contract that she accompany me to events."

Penny winked at him. "Yeah, because that's the only reason."


	18. Chapter 18

Two weeks later, Amy sat on Penny's couch as the blonde curled her hair. "Sheldon tells me you're renewing your vows because your actual wedding was unsatisfactory."

"It was fine, but I feel like we missed out on the festivities. We were engaged for a year but hadn't made any concrete plans, so we spontaneously decided to go to Vegas."

"Howie and I rushed our wedding, too. We moved up the date so we could get married before he went to space, but we did have all our friends and family there."

"And that's all Leonard and I need. Just a small ceremony and reception with our loved ones." Penny set down the curling iron and handed Amy a mirror. "What do your think?"

Amy took the mirror and turned her head from side to side. "It will take some getting used to, but I think I can pull it off. Good job, Penny."

"Ready?" Bernadette asked Penny.

The three girls stood up. Penny straightened her pale blue knee-length strapless dress. "As ready as I'll ever be."

Amy tugged the hem of her lavender cap sleeve dress past her knees. The girls had taken her shopping on Wednesday when the guys were at the comic book store. She had selected an ankle-length, long-sleeved, brown floral-patterned dress, but her companions had scrunched up their noses and shaken their heads.

They plucked the lavender garment from the rack and practically shoved Amy into a dressing room.

When she emerged, Penny whistled. "Look at you, Amy. If that dress doesn't get Sheldon's attention, nothing will."

Amy had twirled in front of the three-way mirror. "It's not something I'd normally consider wearing, but the color is really pretty. I'll take it."

When they opened the door leading to the rooftop, Leonard rushed to his wife's side. "You look amazing! I'm a very lucky man to marry you not once but twice."

"Va va va voom!" Howard cat called as his wife emerged from the stairwell. His gaze traveled down the length of her pink lace bodice and flared skirt.

Sheldon's eyes bugged out when Amy stepped into view. "You look very pretty," he gulped.

"Thank you. You look very handsome in that suit." She reached out to straighten his tie.

Sheldon hooked his arm to hers, and the group introduced to her to Leonard's and Penny's families and Sheldon's mom.

Mrs. Cooper eyed her son's companion appreciatively and took the younger woman's hands in hers. "I'm Mary Cooper. It's so nice to finally meet you. Shelly speaks very highly of you. My that's a lovely dress."

Amy blushed. "Thank you, Mrs. Cooper. I've heard a lot of wonderful things about you, too."

"Well, aren't you just sweet as pie.

Following the vow renewal ceremony, Leonard and Penny moved to the middle of the floor for their first dance.

Amy turned to Sheldon. "That was beautiful. I love how they wrote their own vows. You can see how much they love each other," she sighed.

"What I don't understand is why they decided to go with a themed wedding. If you're going to go with a theme, you should at least do something like Star Trek or Batman."

"It's okay, Sheldon. The only themed part is the music. I actually think that was genius on their part. The '80s spawned many catchy numbers."

"Perhaps you're right, but I still think Leonard should have taken my advice and prepared his vows in Klingon."

When Stuart, who took on the task of DJ for the evening, blared Walk Like an Egyptian over the speakers, the girls invited Amy to join them.

"You two go ahead. I don't want to make a fool of myself."

"You won't look anymore foolish than us. Come on," Bernadette urged.

When Amy still refused, the petite blonde grabbed her hand and pulled her out of her seat.

"You're really strong for your size," Amy acknowledged. She followed their lead as they wandered around the rooftop performing the hand poses familiar to the song. Soon Leonard, Howard, Raj, and a few other guests joined in.

Sheldon watched the festivities from the sidelines, his eyes never straying far from the brunette in lavender.

The three girls belted out Girls Just Wanna Have Fun before another ballad came on. Amy returned to her seat next to Sheldon. They sipped punch and watched the couples dance.

She turned to him. "We're missing out on the fun. Let's go up there."

"Sheldon Cooper does not dance."

"I've never danced either until tonight, well unless you count the time I danced with my mop when I was on clean up crew at a school dance. It would be nice to dance with someone who has arms."

Raj approached them. "Amy, would you care to dance?"

She looked at her date. His neck veins bulged, and his eyes were narrowed into slits.

"I'm sorry, Rajesh. I don't think it's a good idea. I came here with Sheldon." She inched her chair closer to his and stroked his arm until he visibly relaxed.

As Raj retreated, Penny's brother strolled up to them. "What's a pretty lady like you doing sitting in a corner?" He reached out, pulled Amy out of her seat, and dragged her over to the couples moving to the music.

Sheldon stalked over and tapped the man on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to cut in." He reached for Amy's free hand and walked her a few feet away.

"I thought you didn't dance," Amy asked, as her companion faced her, taking her right hand in his left and placing his right hand on her waist."

"I couldn't let you dance with him. You know he's been in prison for meth production."

They swayed slowly to the music. Amy rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes, while he placed his cheek on her head. When Sheldon caught Raj looking at Amy longingly, he tightened his hand on her waist and completely closed the distance between them.

"I'm going to play another slow song for all the couples out there. I'm sure you'll all remember this tune from REO Speedwagon - Can't Fight This Feeling," Stuart announced.

They glided along the dance floor amongst the other couples. Sheldon began humming along to the song then softly sang along. Amy listened intently to his voice. The song spoke of wishing to express feelings that had grown from friendship to something more.

When the song ended, Sheldon removed his hand from her waist and lowered their other hands, intertwining his fingers with hers. He wordlessly led her to the door leading to the staircase.

"Is something wrong?" She asked, searching his face for signs of distress, as they descended the stairs to the lobby.

"I just need to escape from everyone for a few minutes."

"You're not having a panic attack, are you?"

He opened the building door and led her outside. "No. I'm perfectly fine."

They walked a few blocks until they came to a park. He sat them down on a lawn swing and gently set it in motion.

"Sheldon, what are we doing here so late?"

He turned his head to her as they continued to rock slowly. "Amy, I can no longer deny that I have feelings for you that are stronger than anything I've ever felt for anyone else. I think I've known for awhile now, and that song has given me the courage to ask you something I should have asked weeks ago.

He slowed the swing to a stop then took her hands in his. "Amy Farrah Fowler, will you be my girlfriend?"

The corners of her mouth twitched upwards. "I thought you'd never ask. Yes, Sheldon! I would be honored to be your girlfriend."

He gathered her in his arms. Their lips met, and their hands roamed each other's arms and held each other close.

When they came up for air, he touched his forehead to hers. They sat quietly in that position for a minute before he broke the silence. "I'd like to reinstate date night on Thursdays. Will that work for you?"

She gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "That works for me."

"And since today's the last day of our contract. I'll ask Leonard to resume his duties starting tomorrow."

"I don't mind doing it a little longer. Let's give the not-so-newly weds some extra time together."

"Are you sure? Now that you're my girlfriend, I feel bad about making you chauffeur me around."

She squeezed his hand. "I'm sure. It's not a imposition at all."

Sheldon resumed the swing's motion. Amy rested her head on his shoulder, and they gazed up at the sky.

"I wish we could stay here all night," she sighed.

"I know. I suppose we should get back to the party."

"I wonder if anyone's even realized we're gone."

He pulled her up, and they walked hand in hand towards the apartment and their future.

 **A/N: If you're not familiar with REO Speedwagon's Can't Fight This Feeling, I encourage you to look up the lyrics. I thought they fit the story perfectly. Unfortunately, bans the use of lyrics on their site. Otherwise, I would have included some snippets.**

 **I have really enjoyed writing this story. I am overwhelmed by all your likes, follows, and positive reviews. Thank you all so much for your support!**


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